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CrashStats

Merton road accidents in 1979: crash statistics

Police recorded 949 road traffic collisions in Merton in 1979, and 1,153 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 8 were fatal and 152 were serious.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 29,173 collisions in Merton.

Collisions in 1979
949
Casualties in 1979
1,153
Fatal collisions
8
0.8% of collisions
Serious collisions
152
16% of collisions

Crash severity in Merton in 1979

0.8% of collisions in Merton in 1979 were fatal and 16% serious, against 0.8% and 15% in Merton from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal80.8%
  • Serious15216%
  • Slight78983%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal80.7%
  • Serious15914%
  • Slight98686%

Merton road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Merton, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 949 in 1979. 1979 is highlighted, with 949.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1979
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025421488
2024399451
2023433488
2022411455
2021449511
2020453498
2019477562
2018498599
2017494597
2016515623
2015497601
2014510617
2013437513
2012449536
2011403513
2010387458
2009386475
2008431521
2007435540
2006422513
2005467559
2004497590
2003593722
2002661812
2001667785
2000696838
1999701837
1998695826
1997701821
1996716857
1995646784
1994706849
1993764893
1992780903
1991717840
19908781,038
1989852984
1988773886
1987799939
1986795969
1985831992
19848451,011
19838481,007
19828641,052
19819081,068
19809171,106
19799491,153

When and where crashes happen in Merton in 1979

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday135 (14%)
  • Tuesday118 (12%)
  • Wednesday144 (15%)
  • Thursday152 (16%)
  • Friday160 (17%)
  • Saturday137 (14%)
  • Sunday103 (11%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5947 (5%)
  • 03:00 to 05:597 (0.7%)
  • 06:00 to 08:59126 (13%)
  • 09:00 to 11:59122 (13%)
  • 12:00 to 14:59165 (17%)
  • 15:00 to 17:59206 (22%)
  • 18:00 to 20:59144 (15%)
  • 21:00 to 23:59132 (14%)

Collisions by month

  • January76 (8%)
  • February68 (7.2%)
  • March79 (8.3%)
  • April77 (8.1%)
  • May72 (7.6%)
  • June74 (7.8%)
  • July89 (9.4%)
  • August65 (6.8%)
  • September74 (7.8%)
  • October95 (10%)
  • November107 (11%)
  • December73 (7.7%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight640 (67%)
  • Dark, street lights lit307 (32%)
  • Dark, no street lighting1 (0.1%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit1 (0.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Raining, no high winds152 (16%)
  • Snowing, no high winds22 (2.3%)
  • Fog or mist4 (0.4%)
  • Other771 (81%)

Road surface

  • Dry632 (67%)
  • Wet or damp268 (28%)
  • Snow49 (5.2%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph891 (94%)
  • 40 mph49 (5.2%)
  • 70 mph9 (0.9%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway235 (25%)
  • Dual carriageway78 (8.2%)
  • Roundabout33 (3.5%)
  • One way street or slip road28 (3%)
  • Not recorded575 (61%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Merton in 1979

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant472 (41%)
  • Pedestrian237 (21%)
  • Motorcyclist217 (19%)
  • Cyclist109 (9.5%)
  • Van occupant52 (4.5%)
  • Bus or coach occupant47 (4.1%)
  • Other vehicle occupant8 (0.7%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)7 (0.6%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant4 (0.3%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 526 (2.3%)
  • 6 to 1058 (5%)
  • 11 to 1580 (6.9%)
  • 16 to 20261 (23%)
  • 21 to 25138 (12%)
  • 26 to 35180 (16%)
  • 36 to 4591 (7.9%)
  • 46 to 5592 (8%)
  • 56 to 6583 (7.2%)
  • 66 to 7545 (3.9%)
  • Over 7530 (2.6%)
  • Not recorded69 (6%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider645 (56%)
  • Passenger271 (24%)
  • Pedestrian237 (21%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car996 (61%)
  • Motorcycle240 (15%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes116 (7.1%)
  • Pedal cycle115 (7.1%)
  • Bus or coach66 (4.1%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes49 (3%)
  • Other vehicle40 (2.5%)
  • Taxi or private hire car7 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

How Merton ranked among 349 areas in 1979

Of the 349 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Merton had the 86th most road collisions in 1979.

Collisions
86th
highest of 349 areas
Casualties
94th
highest of 349 areas
Fatal collisions
275th
of 349 areas, highest first
Serious collisions
189th
of 349 areas, highest first

Roads in Merton with the most crashes in 1979

The A219 had the most collisions in Merton in 1979: 96, including 15 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Merton, 1979
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA21996106015
2ndA21795106013
3rdA2492116317
4thA2366892012
5thA238556516
6thA218384308
7thB235273604
8thA3253203
9thB272253408
10thA298243624
11thB279232603
12thA239212412
13thA216202904
14thB286121504
15thA297111302
16thA237101101
17thB282101302
18thB28181002
19thB2854502
20thA2131100

Latest crashes in Merton in 1979

Of the last 24 crashes in Merton in 1979, none were fatal and 3 were serious. The last was on 31 December 1979.

Severity

Merton road accidents in other years