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CrashStats

Somerset road accidents in 1998: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 1,880 road traffic collisions in Somerset in 1998, and 2,656 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 44 were fatal and 238 were serious.

Collisions were up 2% on 1997 (1,839), and casualties rose from 2,550.

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

Collisions in 1998
1,880
Up 2% on 1997
Casualties in 1998
2,656
Up 4% on 1997
Fatal collisions
44
2.3% of collisions
Serious collisions
238
13% of collisions

Crash severity in Somerset in 1998

2.3% of collisions in Somerset in 1998 were fatal and 13% serious, against 2.5% and 20% in Somerset from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal442.3%
  • Serious23813%
  • Slight1,59885%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal532%
  • Serious30511%
  • Slight2,29887%

Somerset road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Somerset, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 1,888 in 2005. 1998 is highlighted, with 1,880, up 2% on 1997.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1998
  • 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 1998

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday281 (15%)
  • Tuesday252 (13%)
  • Wednesday293 (16%)
  • Thursday310 (16%)
  • Friday295 (16%)
  • Saturday246 (13%)
  • Sunday203 (11%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5967 (3.6%)
  • 03:00 to 05:5931 (1.6%)
  • 06:00 to 08:59260 (14%)
  • 09:00 to 11:59298 (16%)
  • 12:00 to 14:59347 (18%)
  • 15:00 to 17:59461 (25%)
  • 18:00 to 20:59285 (15%)
  • 21:00 to 23:59131 (7%)

Collisions by month

  • January149 (7.9%)
  • February151 (8%)
  • March129 (6.9%)
  • April129 (6.9%)
  • May160 (8.5%)
  • June185 (9.8%)
  • July146 (7.8%)
  • August148 (7.9%)
  • September161 (8.6%)
  • October172 (9.1%)
  • November175 (9.3%)
  • December175 (9.3%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight1,432 (76%)
  • Dark, no street lighting216 (11%)
  • Dark, street lights lit197 (10%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown22 (1.2%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit13 (0.7%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds1,364 (73%)
  • Raining, no high winds292 (16%)
  • Fine with high winds37 (2%)
  • Raining with high winds37 (2%)
  • Fog or mist22 (1.2%)
  • Snowing with high winds8 (0.4%)
  • Snowing, no high winds3 (0.2%)
  • Other107 (5.7%)
  • Not recorded10 (0.5%)

Road surface

  • Dry1,108 (59%)
  • Wet or damp727 (39%)
  • Frost or ice42 (2.2%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep2 (0.1%)
  • Snow1 (0.1%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph1 (0.1%)
  • 30 mph802 (43%)
  • 40 mph114 (6.1%)
  • 50 mph50 (2.7%)
  • 60 mph819 (44%)
  • 70 mph94 (5%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway1,543 (82%)
  • Dual carriageway182 (9.7%)
  • Roundabout105 (5.6%)
  • One way street or slip road30 (1.6%)
  • Not recorded20 (1.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Somerset in 1998

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant1,871 (70%)
  • Pedestrian219 (8.2%)
  • Cyclist210 (7.9%)
  • Motorcyclist189 (7.1%)
  • Van occupant74 (2.8%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)33 (1.2%)
  • Bus or coach occupant31 (1.2%)
  • Other vehicle occupant18 (0.7%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant6 (0.2%)
  • Minibus occupant5 (0.2%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 565 (2.4%)
  • 6 to 10115 (4.3%)
  • 11 to 15142 (5.3%)
  • 16 to 20431 (16%)
  • 21 to 25315 (12%)
  • 26 to 35496 (19%)
  • 36 to 45386 (15%)
  • 46 to 55277 (10%)
  • 56 to 65194 (7.3%)
  • 66 to 75135 (5.1%)
  • Over 75100 (3.8%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider1,661 (63%)
  • Passenger776 (29%)
  • Pedestrian219 (8.2%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car2,762 (78%)
  • Pedal cycle213 (6%)
  • Motorcycle192 (5.4%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes156 (4.4%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes122 (3.4%)
  • Other vehicle59 (1.7%)
  • Bus or coach27 (0.8%)
  • Minibus12 (0.3%)
  • Taxi or private hire car5 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Somerset in 1998

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1998 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 351 areas in 1998

Of the 351 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Somerset had the 13th most road collisions in 1998.

Collisions
13th
highest of 351 areas
Casualties
12th
highest of 351 areas
Fatal collisions
2nd
highest of 351 areas
Serious collisions
15th
highest of 351 areas

Roads in Somerset with the most crashes in 1998

The A38 had the most collisions in Somerset in 1998: 142, including 5 fatal and 14 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Somerset, 1998
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA38142185514
2ndA39135215319
3rdA35892133314
4thA3776114212
5thM57312043
6thA3067112310
7thA3036410449
8thA371498729
9thA361446419
10thA359283916
11thB3139284522
12thA372242902
13thB3151222703
14thA3088183201
15thA36182502
16thA362173112
17thA356121603
18thB3153121503
19thB3227122114
20thB3135101501

Towns in Somerset: crashes in 1998

Taunton had the most collisions of any town in Somerset in 1998: 153.

Postcode districts in Somerset: crashes in 1998

TA1 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Somerset in 1998: 143.

Former districts in Somerset in 1998

Somerset now covers 6 former district councils, abolished in April 2019 and April 2023. Of these, South Somerset had the most collisions in 1998: 571.

Latest crashes in Somerset in 1998

Of the last 24 crashes in Somerset in 1998, 1 was fatal and 2 were serious. The last was on 31 December 1998.

Severity

Somerset road accidents in other years