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CrashStats

Highland road accidents in 2023: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 259 road traffic collisions in Highland in 2023, and 390 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 14 were fatal and 146 were serious.

Collisions were up 26% on 2022 (206), and casualties rose from 308.

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

Collisions in 2023
259
Up 26% on 2022
Casualties in 2023
390
Up 27% on 2022
Fatal collisions
14
5.4% of collisions
Serious collisions
146
56% of collisions

Crash severity in Highland in 2023

5.4% of collisions in Highland in 2023 were fatal and 56% serious, against 4.2% and 31% in Highland from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal145.4%
  • Serious14656%
  • Slight9938%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal143.6%
  • Serious18146%
  • Slight19550%

Highland road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Highland, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 1,020 in 1979. 2023 is highlighted, with 259, up 26% on 2022.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2023: 259
  • 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 2023

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday45 (17%)
  • Tuesday26 (10%)
  • Wednesday37 (14%)
  • Thursday28 (11%)
  • Friday48 (19%)
  • Saturday45 (17%)
  • Sunday30 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:594 (1.5%)
  • 03:00 to 05:595 (1.9%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5924 (9.3%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5953 (20%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5958 (22%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5968 (26%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5936 (14%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5911 (4.2%)

Collisions by month

  • January21 (8.1%)
  • February16 (6.2%)
  • March18 (6.9%)
  • April15 (5.8%)
  • May27 (10%)
  • June30 (12%)
  • July33 (13%)
  • August24 (9.3%)
  • September22 (8.5%)
  • October17 (6.6%)
  • November17 (6.6%)
  • December19 (7.3%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight194 (75%)
  • Dark, no street lighting50 (19%)
  • Dark, street lights lit15 (5.8%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds188 (73%)
  • Raining, no high winds41 (16%)
  • Raining with high winds7 (2.7%)
  • Fine with high winds6 (2.3%)
  • Snowing, no high winds6 (2.3%)
  • Snowing with high winds2 (0.8%)
  • Other9 (3.5%)

Road surface

  • Dry152 (59%)
  • Wet or damp89 (34%)
  • Frost or ice9 (3.5%)
  • Snow8 (3.1%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep1 (0.4%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph11 (4.2%)
  • 30 mph34 (13%)
  • 40 mph11 (4.2%)
  • 50 mph11 (4.2%)
  • 60 mph188 (73%)
  • 70 mph4 (1.5%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway246 (95%)
  • Dual carriageway6 (2.3%)
  • One way street or slip road4 (1.5%)
  • Roundabout2 (0.8%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Highland in 2023

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant262 (67%)
  • Motorcyclist47 (12%)
  • Pedestrian26 (6.7%)
  • Cyclist15 (3.8%)
  • Van occupant14 (3.6%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant7 (1.8%)
  • Bus or coach occupant4 (1%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)4 (1%)
  • Other vehicle occupant4 (1%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (weight unknown)3 (0.8%)
  • Other4 (1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 57 (1.8%)
  • 6 to 109 (2.3%)
  • 11 to 1512 (3.1%)
  • 16 to 2033 (8.5%)
  • 21 to 2530 (7.7%)
  • 26 to 3558 (15%)
  • 36 to 4561 (16%)
  • 46 to 5569 (18%)
  • 56 to 6554 (14%)
  • 66 to 7533 (8.5%)
  • Over 7524 (6.2%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider248 (64%)
  • Passenger116 (30%)
  • Pedestrian26 (6.7%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car315 (70%)
  • Motorcycle49 (11%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes27 (6%)
  • Pedal cycle19 (4.2%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes17 (3.8%)
  • Other vehicle9 (2%)
  • Agricultural vehicle6 (1.3%)
  • Bus or coach4 (0.9%)
  • Taxi or private hire car3 (0.7%)
  • Minibus2 (0.4%)
  • Other1 (0.2%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Highland in 2023

Map of the last 24 crashes of 2023 and the 9 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 (9)

How Highland ranked among 351 areas in 2023

Of the 351 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Highland had the 140th most road collisions in 2023.

Collisions
140th
highest of 351 areas
Casualties
114th
highest of 351 areas
Fatal collisions
11th
highest of 351 areas
Serious collisions
21st
highest of 351 areas

Accident hotspots in Highland in 2023

Inverness Central, Highland, IV1 1RN area, Inverness Millburn, Highland, IV2 3SL area and Inverness Millburn, Highland, IV2 3TP area were among the busiest accident hotspots in Highland in 2023, with 4 collisions each.

Roads in Highland with the most crashes in 2023

The A9 had the most collisions in Highland in 2023: 35, including 2 fatal and 19 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Highland, 2023
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA93566219
2ndA823254114
3rdA87182927
4thA961732012
5thA832131509
6thA835131518
7thA8366913
8thA866805
9thA956704
10thA996712
11thA89051003
12thB8744703
13thB91524803
14thA8303502
15thA8342201
16thA8382202
17thA9392202
18thB8172302
19thB8622701
20thB8632302

Towns in Highland: crashes in 2023

Inverness had the most collisions of any town in Highland in 2023: 16.

Postcode districts in Highland: crashes in 2023

IV2 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Highland in 2023: 38.

Latest crashes in Highland in 2023

Of the last 24 crashes in Highland in 2023, 1 was fatal and 17 were serious. The last was on 30 December 2023.

Severity

Highland road accidents in other years