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CrashStats

Somerset road accidents in 1985: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 1,719 road traffic collisions in Somerset in 1985, and 2,365 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 53 were fatal and 547 were serious.

Collisions were down 5% on 1984 (1,802), and casualties fell from 2,459.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 70,092 collisions in Somerset.

Collisions in 1985
1,719
Down 5% on 1984
Casualties in 1985
2,365
Down 4% on 1984
Fatal collisions
53
3.1% of collisions
Serious collisions
547
32% of collisions

Crash severity in Somerset in 1985

3.1% of collisions in Somerset in 1985 were fatal and 32% serious, against 2.5% and 20% in Somerset from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal533.1%
  • Serious54732%
  • Slight1,11965%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal542.3%
  • Serious66528%
  • Slight1,64670%

Somerset road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Somerset, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 1,888 in 2005. 1985 is highlighted, with 1,719, down 5% on 1984.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1985
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20258561,148
20248641,215
20237911,172
20227391,030
2021735996
2020637834
20199941,384
20189731,377
20171,0001,464
20161,0531,552
20151,0221,455
20141,1621,623
20131,1571,608
20121,0751,529
20111,1521,652
20101,2721,792
20091,4142,019
20081,5602,228
20071,7552,479
20061,8372,549
20051,8882,637
20041,7572,448
20031,7592,452
20021,8842,593
20011,8572,650
20001,8662,709
19991,8192,514
19981,8802,656
19971,8392,550
19961,6952,370
19951,7372,485
19941,6972,398
19931,5302,155
19921,6462,313
19911,7242,411
19901,8712,540
19891,7862,477
19881,7892,480
19871,7262,377
19861,7522,383
19851,7192,365
19841,8022,459
19831,7662,414
19821,7982,483
19811,8332,531
19801,7932,502
19791,8312,569

When and where crashes happen in Somerset in 1985

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday248 (14%)
  • Tuesday194 (11%)
  • Wednesday228 (13%)
  • Thursday249 (14%)
  • Friday299 (17%)
  • Saturday289 (17%)
  • Sunday212 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5991 (5.3%)
  • 03:00 to 05:5917 (1%)
  • 06:00 to 08:59186 (11%)
  • 09:00 to 11:59239 (14%)
  • 12:00 to 14:59326 (19%)
  • 15:00 to 17:59435 (25%)
  • 18:00 to 20:59236 (14%)
  • 21:00 to 23:59189 (11%)

Collisions by month

  • January106 (6.2%)
  • February95 (5.5%)
  • March122 (7.1%)
  • April144 (8.4%)
  • May156 (9.1%)
  • June155 (9%)
  • July166 (9.7%)
  • August161 (9.4%)
  • September165 (9.6%)
  • October154 (9%)
  • November151 (8.8%)
  • December144 (8.4%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight1,262 (73%)
  • Dark, no street lighting245 (14%)
  • Dark, street lights lit200 (12%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit7 (0.4%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown5 (0.3%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds1,322 (77%)
  • Raining, no high winds207 (12%)
  • Fine with high winds37 (2.2%)
  • Raining with high winds37 (2.2%)
  • Fog or mist20 (1.2%)
  • Snowing, no high winds20 (1.2%)
  • Other71 (4.1%)
  • Not recorded5 (0.3%)

Road surface

  • Dry1,162 (68%)
  • Wet or damp498 (29%)
  • Frost or ice35 (2%)
  • Snow23 (1.3%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep1 (0.1%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph765 (45%)
  • 40 mph52 (3%)
  • 50 mph2 (0.1%)
  • 60 mph822 (48%)
  • 70 mph78 (4.5%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway1,504 (87%)
  • Dual carriageway117 (6.8%)
  • Roundabout59 (3.4%)
  • One way street or slip road37 (2.2%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Somerset in 1985

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant1,209 (51%)
  • Motorcyclist560 (24%)
  • Pedestrian253 (11%)
  • Cyclist205 (8.7%)
  • Van occupant46 (1.9%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)28 (1.2%)
  • Minibus occupant27 (1.1%)
  • Bus or coach occupant18 (0.8%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant12 (0.5%)
  • Other vehicle occupant7 (0.3%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 548 (2%)
  • 6 to 1091 (3.8%)
  • 11 to 15153 (6.5%)
  • 16 to 20688 (29%)
  • 21 to 25336 (14%)
  • 26 to 35281 (12%)
  • 36 to 45248 (10%)
  • 46 to 55173 (7.3%)
  • 56 to 65155 (6.6%)
  • 66 to 75109 (4.6%)
  • Over 7583 (3.5%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider1,429 (60%)
  • Passenger683 (29%)
  • Pedestrian253 (11%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car1,896 (62%)
  • Motorcycle563 (18%)
  • Pedal cycle213 (6.9%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes137 (4.5%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes133 (4.3%)
  • Other vehicle52 (1.7%)
  • Bus or coach38 (1.2%)
  • Taxi or private hire car20 (0.7%)
  • Minibus18 (0.6%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Somerset in 1985

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1985 in Somerset

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

How Somerset ranked among 350 areas in 1985

Of the 350 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Somerset had the 17th most road collisions in 1985.

Collisions
17th
highest of 350 areas
Casualties
13th
highest of 350 areas
Fatal collisions
6th
highest of 350 areas
Serious collisions
8th
highest of 350 areas

Roads in Somerset with the most crashes in 1985

The A38 had the most collisions in Somerset in 1985: 146, including 5 fatal and 39 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Somerset, 1985
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA38146186539
2ndA39134187548
3rdA361113157531
4thA30385139529
5thA35879125223
6thA3074114325
7thA375593318
8thM55091315
9thA3714357016
10thB31393250313
11thA362262906
12thA3592433012
13thB3151223728
14thA372213116
15thB3153192407
16thB3165162008
17thA36131904
18thB3187131605
19thA356111512
20thB3135102003

Towns in Somerset: crashes in 1985

Taunton had the most collisions of any town in Somerset in 1985: 168.

Postcode districts in Somerset: crashes in 1985

TA1 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Somerset in 1985: 129.

Former districts in Somerset in 1985

Somerset now covers 6 former district councils, abolished in April 2019 and April 2023. Of these, South Somerset had the most collisions in 1985: 536.

Latest crashes in Somerset in 1985

Of the last 24 crashes in Somerset in 1985, 1 was fatal and 9 were serious. The last was on 31 December 1985.

Severity

Somerset road accidents in other years