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CrashStats

North Dorset road accidents in 1997: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 259 road traffic collisions in North Dorset in 1997, and 383 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 6 were fatal and 47 were serious.

Collisions were up 7% on 1996 (241), and casualties rose from 351.

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 1997
259
Up 7% on 1996
Casualties in 1997
383
Up 9% on 1996
Fatal collisions
6
2.3% of collisions
Serious collisions
47
18% of collisions

Crash severity in North Dorset in 1997

2.3% of collisions in North Dorset in 1997 were fatal and 18% serious, against 2.4% and 20% in North Dorset from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal62.3%
  • Serious4718%
  • Slight20680%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal71.8%
  • Serious5615%
  • Slight32084%

North Dorset road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in North Dorset, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 286 in 2000. 1997 is highlighted, with 259, up 7% on 1996.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1997
  • 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 1997

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday42 (16%)
  • Tuesday28 (11%)
  • Wednesday29 (11%)
  • Thursday32 (12%)
  • Friday43 (17%)
  • Saturday50 (19%)
  • Sunday35 (14%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:598 (3.1%)
  • 03:00 to 05:597 (2.7%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5926 (10%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5948 (19%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5949 (19%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5959 (23%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5933 (13%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5929 (11%)

Collisions by month

  • January26 (10%)
  • February20 (7.7%)
  • March18 (6.9%)
  • April16 (6.2%)
  • May25 (9.7%)
  • June14 (5.4%)
  • July17 (6.6%)
  • August27 (10%)
  • September24 (9.3%)
  • October29 (11%)
  • November18 (6.9%)
  • December25 (9.7%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight184 (71%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit50 (19%)
  • Dark, street lights lit23 (8.9%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown1 (0.4%)
  • Dark, no street lighting1 (0.4%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds205 (79%)
  • Raining, no high winds39 (15%)
  • Fog or mist10 (3.9%)
  • Fine with high winds1 (0.4%)
  • Other2 (0.8%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.8%)

Road surface

  • Dry161 (62%)
  • Wet or damp93 (36%)
  • Frost or ice5 (1.9%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph5 (1.9%)
  • 30 mph81 (31%)
  • 40 mph18 (6.9%)
  • 50 mph4 (1.5%)
  • 60 mph149 (58%)
  • 70 mph2 (0.8%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway238 (92%)
  • Roundabout13 (5%)
  • Dual carriageway2 (0.8%)
  • One way street or slip road1 (0.4%)
  • Not recorded5 (1.9%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in North Dorset in 1997

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant271 (71%)
  • Motorcyclist37 (9.7%)
  • Pedestrian24 (6.3%)
  • Van occupant17 (4.4%)
  • Cyclist12 (3.1%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)11 (2.9%)
  • Other vehicle occupant7 (1.8%)
  • Bus or coach occupant2 (0.5%)
  • Minibus occupant1 (0.3%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant1 (0.3%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 56 (1.6%)
  • 6 to 1015 (3.9%)
  • 11 to 1518 (4.7%)
  • 16 to 2073 (19%)
  • 21 to 2545 (12%)
  • 26 to 3562 (16%)
  • 36 to 4568 (18%)
  • 46 to 5535 (9.1%)
  • 56 to 6522 (5.7%)
  • 66 to 7515 (3.9%)
  • Over 7524 (6.3%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider246 (64%)
  • Passenger113 (30%)
  • Pedestrian24 (6.3%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car341 (73%)
  • Motorcycle37 (7.9%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes35 (7.5%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes27 (5.8%)
  • Pedal cycle13 (2.8%)
  • Other vehicle8 (1.7%)
  • Bus or coach3 (0.6%)
  • Minibus1 (0.2%)
  • Taxi or private hire car1 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for North Dorset in 1997

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1997 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 1997

The A350 had the most collisions in North Dorset in 1997: 47, including 6 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in North Dorset, 1997
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA350477306
2ndB3081284909
3rdA354264126
4thA357223714
5thA30202621
6thB3092101104
7thB309181002
8thB30827701
9thA313600
10thB30753500
11thA3032400
12thA3531200
13thB30951101
14thB31431100

Towns in North Dorset: crashes in 1997

Blandford Forum and Shaftesbury had the most collisions of any town in North Dorset in 1997, with 20 each.

Postcode districts in North Dorset: crashes in 1997

DT11 had the most collisions of any postcode district in North Dorset in 1997: 126.

Dorset and its former districts in 1997

Dorset recorded 1,479 collisions in 1997, and 18% of them were in the old North Dorset district.

Other former districts in Dorset

Latest crashes in North Dorset in 1997

Of the last 24 crashes in North Dorset in 1997, none were fatal and 5 were serious. The last was on 27 December 1997.

Severity

North Dorset road accidents in other years