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CrashStats

North Dorset road accidents in 1981: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 193 road traffic collisions in North Dorset in 1981, and 266 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 2 were fatal and 72 were serious.

Collisions were down 4% on 1980 (201), and casualties fell from 294.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 8,400 collisions in North Dorset.

District council until April 2019, now part of Dorset. Figures follow the old district boundary.

Collisions in 1981
193
Down 4% on 1980
Casualties in 1981
266
Down 10% on 1980
Fatal collisions
2
1% of collisions
Serious collisions
72
37% of collisions

Crash severity in North Dorset in 1981

1% of collisions in North Dorset in 1981 were fatal and 37% serious, against 2.4% and 20% in North Dorset from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal21%
  • Serious7237%
  • Slight11962%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal41.5%
  • Serious8933%
  • Slight17365%

North Dorset road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in North Dorset, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 286 in 2000. 1981 is highlighted, with 193, down 4% on 1980.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1981
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025104131
2024111141
202390124
2022118148
202187106
2020102146
201972100
2018105154
2017113153
2016103146
2015131171
201496153
2013111167
2012113156
2011120156
2010158209
2009182271
2008191287
2007203302
2006227329
2005228327
2004227329
2003223324
2002239354
2001241370
2000286407
1999234327
1998231336
1997259383
1996241351
1995199333
1994193284
1993195283
1992200306
1991206295
1990212299
1989242345
1988209304
1987195259
1986234349
1985226317
1984183253
1983177221
1982190257
1981193266
1980201294
1979199285

When and where crashes happen in North Dorset in 1981

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday28 (15%)
  • Tuesday24 (12%)
  • Wednesday17 (8.8%)
  • Thursday29 (15%)
  • Friday29 (15%)
  • Saturday46 (24%)
  • Sunday20 (10%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:598 (4.1%)
  • 03:00 to 05:591 (0.5%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5921 (11%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5931 (16%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5940 (21%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5944 (23%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5929 (15%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5919 (9.8%)

Collisions by month

  • January13 (6.7%)
  • February13 (6.7%)
  • March16 (8.3%)
  • April21 (11%)
  • May14 (7.3%)
  • June15 (7.8%)
  • July13 (6.7%)
  • August18 (9.3%)
  • September25 (13%)
  • October18 (9.3%)
  • November12 (6.2%)
  • December15 (7.8%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight140 (73%)
  • Dark, no street lighting40 (21%)
  • Dark, street lights lit13 (6.7%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds149 (77%)
  • Raining, no high winds30 (16%)
  • Fog or mist5 (2.6%)
  • Raining with high winds2 (1%)
  • Fine with high winds1 (0.5%)
  • Snowing, no high winds1 (0.5%)
  • Other5 (2.6%)

Road surface

  • Dry119 (62%)
  • Wet or damp61 (32%)
  • Frost or ice10 (5.2%)
  • Snow2 (1%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep1 (0.5%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph56 (29%)
  • 40 mph11 (5.7%)
  • 60 mph125 (65%)
  • 70 mph1 (0.5%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway180 (93%)
  • One way street or slip road9 (4.7%)
  • Roundabout4 (2.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in North Dorset in 1981

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant135 (51%)
  • Motorcyclist66 (25%)
  • Pedestrian28 (11%)
  • Van occupant18 (6.8%)
  • Cyclist12 (4.5%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)4 (1.5%)
  • Minibus occupant3 (1.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 56 (2.3%)
  • 6 to 106 (2.3%)
  • 11 to 1518 (6.8%)
  • 16 to 2087 (33%)
  • 21 to 2531 (12%)
  • 26 to 3533 (12%)
  • 36 to 4526 (9.8%)
  • 46 to 5513 (4.9%)
  • 56 to 6526 (9.8%)
  • 66 to 7511 (4.1%)
  • Over 759 (3.4%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider162 (61%)
  • Passenger76 (29%)
  • Pedestrian28 (11%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car184 (57%)
  • Motorcycle71 (22%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes29 (9%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes15 (4.7%)
  • Pedal cycle12 (3.7%)
  • Bus or coach4 (1.2%)
  • Minibus3 (0.9%)
  • Other vehicle3 (0.9%)
  • Taxi or private hire car1 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for North Dorset in 1981

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1981 in North Dorset

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

Roads in North Dorset with the most crashes in 1981

The A354 had the most collisions in North Dorset in 1981: 32, including 1 fatal and 11 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in North Dorset, 1981
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA3543237111
2ndA350193008
3rdB3092162202
4thA357152304
5thB3081131405
6thA30111104
7thB30827804
8thB30916802
9thA30321001
10thA312202
11thB30952201
12thA30301100
13thA351201
14thB30751301

Towns in North Dorset: crashes in 1981

Blandford Forum had the most collisions of any town in North Dorset in 1981: 26.

Postcode districts in North Dorset: crashes in 1981

DT11 had the most collisions of any postcode district in North Dorset in 1981: 95.

Dorset and its former districts in 1981

Dorset recorded 1,221 collisions in 1981, and 16% of them were in the old North Dorset district.

Other former districts in Dorset

Latest crashes in North Dorset in 1981

Of the last 24 crashes in North Dorset in 1981, none were fatal and 8 were serious. The last was on 31 December 1981.

Severity

North Dorset road accidents in other years