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CrashStats

Purbeck road accidents in 1997: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 248 road traffic collisions in Purbeck in 1997, and 396 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 6 were fatal and 39 were serious.

Collisions were up 18% on 1996 (211), and casualties rose from 352.

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 1997
248
Up 18% on 1996
Casualties in 1997
396
Up 13% on 1996
Fatal collisions
6
2.4% of collisions
Serious collisions
39
16% of collisions

Crash severity in Purbeck in 1997

2.4% of collisions in Purbeck in 1997 were fatal and 16% serious, against 2.4% and 22% in Purbeck from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal62.4%
  • Serious3916%
  • Slight20382%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal61.5%
  • Serious4411%
  • Slight34687%

Purbeck road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Purbeck, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 248 in 1997. 1997 is highlighted, with 248, up 18% on 1996.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1997
  • 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 1997

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday39 (16%)
  • Tuesday38 (15%)
  • Wednesday41 (17%)
  • Thursday29 (12%)
  • Friday38 (15%)
  • Saturday43 (17%)
  • Sunday20 (8.1%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:598 (3.2%)
  • 03:00 to 05:592 (0.8%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5929 (12%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5947 (19%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5949 (20%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5961 (25%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5934 (14%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5918 (7.3%)

Collisions by month

  • January21 (8.5%)
  • February12 (4.8%)
  • March21 (8.5%)
  • April25 (10%)
  • May21 (8.5%)
  • June19 (7.7%)
  • July19 (7.7%)
  • August26 (10%)
  • September20 (8.1%)
  • October21 (8.5%)
  • November18 (7.3%)
  • December25 (10%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight194 (78%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit26 (10%)
  • Dark, street lights lit25 (10%)
  • Dark, no street lighting2 (0.8%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown1 (0.4%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds187 (75%)
  • Raining, no high winds45 (18%)
  • Fog or mist5 (2%)
  • Raining with high winds1 (0.4%)
  • Snowing, no high winds1 (0.4%)
  • Other9 (3.6%)

Road surface

  • Dry153 (62%)
  • Wet or damp87 (35%)
  • Frost or ice6 (2.4%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep1 (0.4%)
  • Snow1 (0.4%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph2 (0.8%)
  • 30 mph78 (31%)
  • 40 mph15 (6%)
  • 50 mph14 (5.6%)
  • 60 mph132 (53%)
  • 70 mph7 (2.8%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway218 (88%)
  • Roundabout16 (6.5%)
  • Dual carriageway7 (2.8%)
  • One way street or slip road6 (2.4%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Purbeck in 1997

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant282 (71%)
  • Motorcyclist36 (9.1%)
  • Pedestrian27 (6.8%)
  • Cyclist24 (6.1%)
  • Van occupant8 (2%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant6 (1.5%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)4 (1%)
  • Minibus occupant4 (1%)
  • Other vehicle occupant3 (0.8%)
  • Bus or coach occupant2 (0.5%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 510 (2.5%)
  • 6 to 1017 (4.3%)
  • 11 to 1515 (3.8%)
  • 16 to 2064 (16%)
  • 21 to 2548 (12%)
  • 26 to 3580 (20%)
  • 36 to 4559 (15%)
  • 46 to 5544 (11%)
  • 56 to 6526 (6.6%)
  • 66 to 7518 (4.5%)
  • Over 7515 (3.8%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider228 (58%)
  • Passenger141 (36%)
  • Pedestrian27 (6.8%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car359 (76%)
  • Motorcycle34 (7.2%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes25 (5.3%)
  • Pedal cycle24 (5.1%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes18 (3.8%)
  • Other vehicle5 (1.1%)
  • Bus or coach4 (0.8%)
  • Minibus3 (0.6%)
  • Taxi or private hire car2 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Purbeck in 1997

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1997 in Purbeck

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

Roads in Purbeck with the most crashes in 1997

The A35 had the most collisions in Purbeck in 1997: 48, including 1 fatal and 3 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Purbeck, 1997
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA35486813
2ndA351384906
3rdA352245003
4thB3067162012
5thA350102011
6thB335191202
7thB307581802
8thA3171514
9thB30706811
10thB339041302
11thB30683401
12thB30712401
13thB30691100
14thB30731300
15thB30821100

Towns in Purbeck: crashes in 1997

Upton, Dorset had the most collisions of any town in Purbeck in 1997: 21.

Postcode districts in Purbeck: crashes in 1997

BH20 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Purbeck in 1997: 109.

Dorset and its former districts in 1997

Dorset recorded 1,479 collisions in 1997, and 17% of them were in the old Purbeck district.

Other former districts in Dorset

Latest crashes in Purbeck in 1997

Of the last 24 crashes in Purbeck in 1997, none were fatal and 2 were serious. The last was on 31 December 1997.

Severity

Purbeck road accidents in other years