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CrashStats

Purbeck road accidents in 1981: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 167 road traffic collisions in Purbeck in 1981, and 242 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 3 were fatal and 68 were serious.

Collisions were down 23% on 1980 (216), and casualties fell from 304.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 7,682 collisions in Purbeck.

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

Collisions in 1981
167
Down 23% on 1980
Casualties in 1981
242
Down 20% on 1980
Fatal collisions
3
1.8% of collisions
Serious collisions
68
41% of collisions

Crash severity in Purbeck in 1981

1.8% of collisions in Purbeck in 1981 were fatal and 41% serious, against 2.4% and 22% in Purbeck from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal31.8%
  • Serious6841%
  • Slight9657%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal41.7%
  • Serious8033%
  • Slight15865%

Purbeck road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Purbeck, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 248 in 1997. 1981 is highlighted, with 167, down 23% on 1980.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1981
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025109142
202489118
202396127
2022103132
202188117
202091127
2019122175
2018119172
2017117184
2016138229
2015142204
2014124177
2013107153
2012108178
2011138184
2010121167
2009144226
2008172253
2007171243
2006164232
2005163255
2004195281
2003194276
2002213322
2001202315
2000193303
1999217313
1998214338
1997248396
1996211352
1995184327
1994179317
1993186304
1992170249
1991192312
1990221369
1989202269
1988191300
1987162220
1986191299
1985167254
1984173273
1983164248
1982173257
1981167242
1980216304
1979231362

When and where crashes happen in Purbeck in 1981

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday29 (17%)
  • Tuesday16 (9.6%)
  • Wednesday19 (11%)
  • Thursday27 (16%)
  • Friday27 (16%)
  • Saturday17 (10%)
  • Sunday32 (19%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5911 (6.6%)
  • 03:00 to 05:593 (1.8%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5915 (9%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5922 (13%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5926 (16%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5953 (32%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5916 (9.6%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5921 (13%)

Collisions by month

  • January8 (4.8%)
  • February11 (6.6%)
  • March15 (9%)
  • April13 (7.8%)
  • May14 (8.4%)
  • June18 (11%)
  • July16 (9.6%)
  • August19 (11%)
  • September15 (9%)
  • October18 (11%)
  • November12 (7.2%)
  • December8 (4.8%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight119 (71%)
  • Dark, no street lighting24 (14%)
  • Dark, street lights lit22 (13%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown2 (1.2%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds134 (80%)
  • Raining, no high winds24 (14%)
  • Fine with high winds2 (1.2%)
  • Fog or mist1 (0.6%)
  • Raining with high winds1 (0.6%)
  • Snowing, no high winds1 (0.6%)
  • Other4 (2.4%)

Road surface

  • Dry112 (67%)
  • Wet or damp50 (30%)
  • Frost or ice3 (1.8%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep1 (0.6%)
  • Snow1 (0.6%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph50 (30%)
  • 40 mph9 (5.4%)
  • 60 mph102 (61%)
  • 70 mph6 (3.6%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway150 (90%)
  • Roundabout6 (3.6%)
  • Dual carriageway5 (3%)
  • One way street or slip road5 (3%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.6%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Purbeck in 1981

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant133 (55%)
  • Motorcyclist59 (24%)
  • Pedestrian19 (7.9%)
  • Cyclist10 (4.1%)
  • Van occupant9 (3.7%)
  • Bus or coach occupant4 (1.7%)
  • Other vehicle occupant4 (1.7%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)2 (0.8%)
  • Minibus occupant1 (0.4%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant1 (0.4%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 51 (0.4%)
  • 6 to 105 (2.1%)
  • 11 to 1510 (4.1%)
  • 16 to 2086 (36%)
  • 21 to 2536 (15%)
  • 26 to 3538 (16%)
  • 36 to 4520 (8.3%)
  • 46 to 5512 (5%)
  • 56 to 6519 (7.9%)
  • 66 to 758 (3.3%)
  • Over 757 (2.9%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider149 (62%)
  • Passenger74 (31%)
  • Pedestrian19 (7.9%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car178 (60%)
  • Motorcycle61 (21%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes14 (4.7%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes12 (4%)
  • Bus or coach10 (3.4%)
  • Pedal cycle10 (3.4%)
  • Other vehicle8 (2.7%)
  • Minibus2 (0.7%)
  • Taxi or private hire car2 (0.7%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Purbeck in 1981

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1981 in Purbeck

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

Roads in Purbeck with the most crashes in 1981

The A351 had the most collisions in Purbeck in 1981: 34, including 1 fatal and 11 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Purbeck, 1981
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA3513450111
2ndA352548211
3rdA352111503
4thA35091403
5thB30676801
6thB30705602
7thA314603
8thB33514503
9thB30692400
10thB33902300
11thB30711100
12thB30751100

Towns in Purbeck: crashes in 1981

Swanage had the most collisions of any town in Purbeck in 1981: 23.

Postcode districts in Purbeck: crashes in 1981

BH20 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Purbeck in 1981: 71.

Dorset and its former districts in 1981

Dorset recorded 1,221 collisions in 1981, and 14% of them were in the old Purbeck district.

Other former districts in Dorset

Latest crashes in Purbeck in 1981

Of the last 24 crashes in Purbeck in 1981, 1 was fatal and 10 were serious. The last was on 21 December 1981.

Severity

Purbeck road accidents in other years