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CrashStats

Lewisham road accidents in 1981: crash statistics

Police recorded 1,418 road traffic collisions in Lewisham in 1981, and 1,768 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 20 were fatal and 233 were serious.

Collisions were up 5% on 1980 (1,356), and casualties rose from 1,623.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 52,299 collisions in Lewisham.

Collisions in 1981
1,418
Up 5% on 1980
Casualties in 1981
1,768
Up 9% on 1980
Fatal collisions
20
1.4% of collisions
Serious collisions
233
16% of collisions

Crash severity in Lewisham in 1981

1.4% of collisions in Lewisham in 1981 were fatal and 16% serious, against 0.7% and 15% in Lewisham from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal201.4%
  • Serious23316%
  • Slight1,16582%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal211.2%
  • Serious25815%
  • Slight1,48984%

Lewisham road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Lewisham, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 1,563 in 1982. 1981 is highlighted, with 1,418, up 5% on 1980.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1981
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025729843
2024731840
2023769891
2022785917
2021731839
2020747870
2019795947
20188361,011
20179141,109
20168811,050
20158841,013
20149211,039
2013809940
2012838998
20118901,064
2010798938
2009830972
2008722880
2007729880
20068621,019
20059151,087
20041,0321,257
20031,1671,438
20021,2091,440
20011,2521,545
20001,2621,512
19991,3391,593
19981,3181,644
19971,3621,638
19961,2631,542
19951,2731,506
19941,3431,642
19931,3601,626
19921,3541,636
19911,3881,579
19901,4201,676
19891,4541,741
19881,3561,614
19871,2891,567
19861,4441,714
19851,4691,768
19841,5311,840
19831,5251,825
19821,5631,948
19811,4181,768
19801,3561,623
19791,4361,735

When and where crashes happen in Lewisham in 1981

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday182 (13%)
  • Tuesday187 (13%)
  • Wednesday202 (14%)
  • Thursday211 (15%)
  • Friday252 (18%)
  • Saturday224 (16%)
  • Sunday160 (11%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5964 (4.5%)
  • 03:00 to 05:5919 (1.3%)
  • 06:00 to 08:59198 (14%)
  • 09:00 to 11:59152 (11%)
  • 12:00 to 14:59247 (17%)
  • 15:00 to 17:59304 (21%)
  • 18:00 to 20:59227 (16%)
  • 21:00 to 23:59207 (15%)

Collisions by month

  • January115 (8.1%)
  • February107 (7.5%)
  • March155 (11%)
  • April95 (6.7%)
  • May127 (9%)
  • June107 (7.5%)
  • July93 (6.6%)
  • August117 (8.3%)
  • September148 (10%)
  • October125 (8.8%)
  • November124 (8.7%)
  • December105 (7.4%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight954 (67%)
  • Dark, street lights lit457 (32%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit4 (0.3%)
  • Dark, no street lighting3 (0.2%)

Weather at the time

  • Raining, no high winds217 (15%)
  • Fog or mist8 (0.6%)
  • Snowing, no high winds6 (0.4%)
  • Other1,187 (84%)

Road surface

  • Dry1,023 (72%)
  • Wet or damp368 (26%)
  • Snow27 (1.9%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph1,416 (100%)
  • 40 mph2 (0.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway521 (37%)
  • Dual carriageway75 (5.3%)
  • One way street or slip road73 (5.1%)
  • Roundabout8 (0.6%)
  • Not recorded741 (52%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Lewisham in 1981

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant673 (38%)
  • Pedestrian444 (25%)
  • Motorcyclist372 (21%)
  • Cyclist118 (6.7%)
  • Bus or coach occupant99 (5.6%)
  • Van occupant51 (2.9%)
  • Other vehicle occupant5 (0.3%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)3 (0.2%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant3 (0.2%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 537 (2.1%)
  • 6 to 10119 (6.7%)
  • 11 to 15135 (7.6%)
  • 16 to 20369 (21%)
  • 21 to 25264 (15%)
  • 26 to 35271 (15%)
  • 36 to 45157 (8.9%)
  • 46 to 55124 (7%)
  • 56 to 6590 (5.1%)
  • 66 to 7570 (4%)
  • Over 7529 (1.6%)
  • Not recorded103 (5.8%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider880 (50%)
  • Passenger444 (25%)
  • Pedestrian444 (25%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car1,563 (65%)
  • Motorcycle390 (16%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes152 (6.3%)
  • Pedal cycle123 (5.1%)
  • Bus or coach117 (4.8%)
  • Other vehicle41 (1.7%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes34 (1.4%)
  • Taxi or private hire car2 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

How Lewisham ranked among 349 areas in 1981

Of the 349 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Lewisham had the 31st most road collisions in 1981.

Collisions
31st
highest of 349 areas
Casualties
34th
highest of 349 areas
Fatal collisions
70th
highest of 349 areas
Serious collisions
68th
highest of 349 areas

Roads in Lewisham with the most crashes in 1981

The A21 had the most collisions in Lewisham in 1981: 183, including 4 fatal and 34 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Lewisham, 1981
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA21183223434
2ndA20168213029
3rdA2129151323
4thA205120151118
5thA2126173010
6thB218607308
7thA2212404605
8thA200364222
9thA2216283211
10thB212272804
11thA2218212415
12thA2210141501
13thA2209111102
14thB2142111704
15thB227111202
16thB236111201
17thB22091101
18thA201581200
19thA221181002
20thB22681100

Latest crashes in Lewisham in 1981

Of the last 24 crashes in Lewisham in 1981, 1 was fatal and 6 were serious. The last was on 31 December 1981.

Severity

Lewisham road accidents in other years