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CrashStats

Kensington and Chelsea road accidents in 1981: crash statistics

Police recorded 1,313 road traffic collisions in Kensington and Chelsea in 1981, and 1,519 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 8 were fatal and 181 were serious.

Collisions were down 5% on 1980 (1,388), and casualties fell from 1,575.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 42,732 collisions in Kensington and Chelsea.

Collisions in 1981
1,313
Down 5% on 1980
Casualties in 1981
1,519
Down 4% on 1980
Fatal collisions
8
0.6% of collisions
Serious collisions
181
14% of collisions

Crash severity in Kensington and Chelsea in 1981

0.6% of collisions in Kensington and Chelsea in 1981 were fatal and 14% serious, against 0.6% and 15% in Kensington and Chelsea from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal80.6%
  • Serious18114%
  • Slight1,12486%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal80.5%
  • Serious19513%
  • Slight1,31687%

Kensington and Chelsea road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Kensington and Chelsea, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 1,440 in 1979. 1981 is highlighted, with 1,313, down 5% on 1980.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1981
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025565614
2024564617
2023640693
2022610664
2021613655
2020547611
2019705781
2018683750
2017698798
2016694771
2015632708
2014712790
2013656725
2012661732
2011715802
2010708792
2009668765
2008730829
2007693794
2006728813
2005772889
2004642741
2003728842
2002748896
2001857980
20001,0551,244
19991,0361,161
19981,0641,196
19971,0751,205
19969791,094
19951,0221,150
19941,0921,237
19931,0971,232
19921,0631,158
19911,0951,241
19901,2271,388
19891,2571,385
19881,2041,384
19871,0521,183
19861,1351,304
19851,1861,373
19841,3411,517
19831,2931,454
19821,3491,521
19811,3131,519
19801,3881,575
19791,4401,691

When and where crashes happen in Kensington and Chelsea in 1981

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday214 (16%)
  • Tuesday199 (15%)
  • Wednesday182 (14%)
  • Thursday218 (17%)
  • Friday210 (16%)
  • Saturday175 (13%)
  • Sunday115 (8.8%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5992 (7%)
  • 03:00 to 05:5925 (1.9%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5994 (7.2%)
  • 09:00 to 11:59202 (15%)
  • 12:00 to 14:59219 (17%)
  • 15:00 to 17:59283 (22%)
  • 18:00 to 20:59203 (15%)
  • 21:00 to 23:59195 (15%)

Collisions by month

  • January105 (8%)
  • February101 (7.7%)
  • March120 (9.1%)
  • April99 (7.5%)
  • May105 (8%)
  • June102 (7.8%)
  • July130 (9.9%)
  • August106 (8.1%)
  • September127 (9.7%)
  • October126 (9.6%)
  • November124 (9.4%)
  • December68 (5.2%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight850 (65%)
  • Dark, street lights lit460 (35%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit2 (0.2%)
  • Dark, no street lighting1 (0.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Raining, no high winds202 (15%)
  • Snowing, no high winds11 (0.8%)
  • Fog or mist3 (0.2%)
  • Other1,097 (84%)

Road surface

  • Dry966 (74%)
  • Wet or damp336 (26%)
  • Snow11 (0.8%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph1,309 (100%)
  • 40 mph3 (0.2%)
  • 50 mph1 (0.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway496 (38%)
  • One way street or slip road138 (11%)
  • Dual carriageway101 (7.7%)
  • Roundabout6 (0.5%)
  • Not recorded572 (44%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Kensington and Chelsea in 1981

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant459 (30%)
  • Pedestrian454 (30%)
  • Motorcyclist288 (19%)
  • Cyclist147 (9.7%)
  • Bus or coach occupant85 (5.6%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant58 (3.8%)
  • Van occupant21 (1.4%)
  • Other vehicle occupant4 (0.3%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)3 (0.2%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 516 (1.1%)
  • 6 to 1041 (2.7%)
  • 11 to 1541 (2.7%)
  • 16 to 20230 (15%)
  • 21 to 25287 (19%)
  • 26 to 35338 (22%)
  • 36 to 45172 (11%)
  • 46 to 55115 (7.6%)
  • 56 to 6567 (4.4%)
  • 66 to 7549 (3.2%)
  • Over 7529 (1.9%)
  • Not recorded134 (8.8%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider703 (46%)
  • Pedestrian454 (30%)
  • Passenger362 (24%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car1,308 (59%)
  • Motorcycle323 (14%)
  • Pedal cycle153 (6.8%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes135 (6%)
  • Taxi or private hire car116 (5.2%)
  • Bus or coach112 (5%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes47 (2.1%)
  • Other vehicle40 (1.8%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

How Kensington and Chelsea ranked among 349 areas in 1981

Of the 349 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Kensington and Chelsea had the 38th most road collisions in 1981.

Collisions
38th
highest of 349 areas
Casualties
50th
highest of 349 areas
Fatal collisions
256th
of 349 areas, highest first
Serious collisions
126th
highest of 349 areas

Roads in Kensington and Chelsea with the most crashes in 1981

The A4 had the most collisions in Kensington and Chelsea in 1981: 161, including 2 fatal and 22 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Kensington and Chelsea, 1981
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA4161181222
2ndA315150163110
3rdA3220109124111
4thA4086104012
5thA3218788706
6thA32177377014
7thA3086880019
8thB450647307
9thA32165058114
10thB412222403
11thA4204212602
12thA304202212
13thA3212192705
14thB325172103
15thB415121601
16thB304111402
17thB319101100
18thA420691301
19thB3026601
20thB3104500

Latest crashes in Kensington and Chelsea in 1981

Of the last 24 crashes in Kensington and Chelsea in 1981, none were fatal and 5 were serious. The last was on 29 December 1981.

Severity

Kensington and Chelsea road accidents in other years