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CrashStats

Highland road accidents in 2021: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 207 road traffic collisions in Highland in 2021, and 295 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 13 were fatal and 88 were serious.

Collisions were down 4% on 2020 (215), and casualties fell from 296.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 28,651 collisions in Highland.

Collisions in 2021
207
Down 4% on 2020
Casualties in 2021
295
Level with 2020
Fatal collisions
13
6.3% of collisions
Serious collisions
88
43% of collisions

Crash severity in Highland in 2021

6.3% of collisions in Highland in 2021 were fatal and 43% serious, against 4.2% and 31% in Highland from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal136.3%
  • Serious8843%
  • Slight10651%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal144.7%
  • Serious11539%
  • Slight16656%

Highland road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Highland, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 1,020 in 1979. 2021 is highlighted, with 207, down 4% on 2020.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2021: 207
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025245392
2024273405
2023259390
2022206308
2021207295
2020215296
2019335499
2018387540
2017307434
2016386545
2015379507
2014431580
2013443616
2012455696
2011488685
2010474724
2009614938
2008586846
2007626929
2006620879
2005656993
20046801,058
20036781,035
2002628927
20016941,071
20006871,031
19997601,146
19987801,211
19977461,172
19967221,172
19957141,092
1994617939
19936931,043
19927631,170
19917691,229
19908171,318
19898511,358
19887201,088
19877161,078
19867681,199
19857851,250
19848021,207
19837521,155
19829491,437
19819671,461
19809811,487
19791,0201,602

When and where crashes happen in Highland in 2021

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday31 (15%)
  • Tuesday28 (14%)
  • Wednesday25 (12%)
  • Thursday27 (13%)
  • Friday33 (16%)
  • Saturday35 (17%)
  • Sunday28 (14%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:592 (1%)
  • 03:00 to 05:591 (0.5%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5915 (7.2%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5932 (15%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5961 (29%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5958 (28%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5927 (13%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5911 (5.3%)

Collisions by month

  • January12 (5.8%)
  • February8 (3.9%)
  • March12 (5.8%)
  • April8 (3.9%)
  • May21 (10%)
  • June19 (9.2%)
  • July30 (14%)
  • August35 (17%)
  • September19 (9.2%)
  • October18 (8.7%)
  • November17 (8.2%)
  • December8 (3.9%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight167 (81%)
  • Dark, no street lighting28 (14%)
  • Dark, street lights lit12 (5.8%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds157 (76%)
  • Raining, no high winds29 (14%)
  • Raining with high winds6 (2.9%)
  • Snowing, no high winds5 (2.4%)
  • Fine with high winds4 (1.9%)
  • Snowing with high winds1 (0.5%)
  • Other3 (1.4%)
  • Not recorded2 (1%)

Road surface

  • Dry128 (62%)
  • Wet or damp66 (32%)
  • Frost or ice6 (2.9%)
  • Snow5 (2.4%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep2 (1%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph9 (4.3%)
  • 30 mph24 (12%)
  • 40 mph10 (4.8%)
  • 50 mph8 (3.9%)
  • 60 mph151 (73%)
  • 70 mph5 (2.4%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway193 (93%)
  • Dual carriageway6 (2.9%)
  • Roundabout4 (1.9%)
  • One way street or slip road2 (1%)
  • Not recorded2 (1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Highland in 2021

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant190 (64%)
  • Motorcyclist46 (16%)
  • Pedestrian23 (7.8%)
  • Cyclist12 (4.1%)
  • Van occupant11 (3.7%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)9 (3.1%)
  • Bus or coach occupant2 (0.7%)
  • Other vehicle occupant2 (0.7%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 53 (1%)
  • 6 to 104 (1.4%)
  • 11 to 1510 (3.4%)
  • 16 to 2026 (8.8%)
  • 21 to 2538 (13%)
  • 26 to 3551 (17%)
  • 36 to 4538 (13%)
  • 46 to 5540 (14%)
  • 56 to 6539 (13%)
  • 66 to 7529 (9.8%)
  • Over 7517 (5.8%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider186 (63%)
  • Passenger86 (29%)
  • Pedestrian23 (7.8%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car247 (70%)
  • Motorcycle47 (13%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes22 (6.2%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes18 (5.1%)
  • Pedal cycle12 (3.4%)
  • Other vehicle4 (1.1%)
  • Agricultural vehicle2 (0.6%)
  • Bus or coach2 (0.6%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Highland in 2021

Map of the last 24 crashes of 2021 and the 10 busiest accident hotspots in Highland

Use the arrow keys to move the map and the plus and minus keys to zoom.

  • 24 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

Accident hotspots (10)

How Highland ranked among 350 areas in 2021

Of the 350 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Highland had the 169th most road collisions in 2021.

Collisions
169th
highest of 350 areas
Casualties
151st
highest of 350 areas
Fatal collisions
13th
highest of 350 areas
Serious collisions
63rd
highest of 350 areas

Accident hotspots in Highland in 2021

Inverness Central, Highland, IV1 1RN area and Inverness Millburn, Highland, IV2 3SL area were among the busiest accident hotspots in Highland in 2021, with 3 collisions each.

Roads in Highland with the most crashes in 2021

The A82 had the most collisions in Highland in 2021: 37, including 3 fatal and 15 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Highland, 2021
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA823752315
2ndA92746211
3rdA87142318
4thA83691622
5thA8947702
6thA8306602
7thA8326602
8thA8356603
9thA966912
10thA995911
11thA864704
12thA9394401
13thA954403
14thB90394502
15thA8383301
16thA8623300
17thB91763612
18thA8282201
19thA8332301
20thA8372201

Towns in Highland: crashes in 2021

Fort William had the most collisions of any town in Highland in 2021: 6.

Postcode districts in Highland: crashes in 2021

IV2 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Highland in 2021: 21.

Latest crashes in Highland in 2021

Of the last 24 crashes in Highland in 2021, 1 was fatal and 9 were serious. The last was on 28 December 2021.

Severity

Highland road accidents in other years