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CrashStats

Somerset road accidents in 2021: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 735 road traffic collisions in Somerset in 2021, and 996 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 24 were fatal and 114 were serious.

Collisions were up 15% on 2020 (637), and casualties rose from 834.

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

Collisions in 2021
735
Up 15% on 2020
Casualties in 2021
996
Up 19% on 2020
Fatal collisions
24
3.3% of collisions
Serious collisions
114
16% of collisions

Crash severity in Somerset in 2021

3.3% of collisions in Somerset in 2021 were fatal and 16% serious, against 2.5% and 20% in Somerset from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal243.3%
  • Serious11416%
  • Slight59781%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal252.5%
  • Serious12613%
  • Slight84585%

Somerset road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Somerset, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 1,888 in 2005. 2021 is highlighted, with 735, up 15% on 2020.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2021: 735
  • 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 2021

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday112 (15%)
  • Tuesday115 (16%)
  • Wednesday103 (14%)
  • Thursday112 (15%)
  • Friday113 (15%)
  • Saturday89 (12%)
  • Sunday91 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5921 (2.9%)
  • 03:00 to 05:5916 (2.2%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5988 (12%)
  • 09:00 to 11:59118 (16%)
  • 12:00 to 14:59145 (20%)
  • 15:00 to 17:59178 (24%)
  • 18:00 to 20:59111 (15%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5958 (7.9%)

Collisions by month

  • January35 (4.8%)
  • February36 (4.9%)
  • March42 (5.7%)
  • April56 (7.6%)
  • May57 (7.8%)
  • June68 (9.3%)
  • July75 (10%)
  • August69 (9.4%)
  • September76 (10%)
  • October81 (11%)
  • November73 (9.9%)
  • December67 (9.1%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight558 (76%)
  • Dark, no street lighting77 (10%)
  • Dark, street lights lit62 (8.4%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown31 (4.2%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit4 (0.5%)
  • Not recorded3 (0.4%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds578 (79%)
  • Raining, no high winds83 (11%)
  • Raining with high winds10 (1.4%)
  • Fine with high winds7 (1%)
  • Fog or mist6 (0.8%)
  • Snowing with high winds2 (0.3%)
  • Other11 (1.5%)
  • Not recorded38 (5.2%)

Road surface

  • Dry542 (74%)
  • Wet or damp182 (25%)
  • Frost or ice6 (0.8%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep3 (0.4%)
  • Snow1 (0.1%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.1%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph15 (2%)
  • 30 mph362 (49%)
  • 40 mph70 (9.5%)
  • 50 mph36 (4.9%)
  • 60 mph218 (30%)
  • 70 mph34 (4.6%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway569 (77%)
  • Dual carriageway59 (8%)
  • Roundabout53 (7.2%)
  • One way street or slip road13 (1.8%)
  • Not recorded41 (5.6%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Somerset in 2021

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant674 (68%)
  • Pedestrian108 (11%)
  • Motorcyclist88 (8.8%)
  • Cyclist85 (8.5%)
  • Van occupant12 (1.2%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)8 (0.8%)
  • Mobility scooter rider4 (0.4%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant4 (0.4%)
  • Horse rider2 (0.2%)
  • Other vehicle occupant2 (0.2%)
  • Other1 (0.1%)
  • Not recorded8 (0.8%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 515 (1.5%)
  • 6 to 1023 (2.3%)
  • 11 to 1526 (2.6%)
  • 16 to 20112 (11%)
  • 21 to 25129 (13%)
  • 26 to 35194 (19%)
  • 36 to 45131 (13%)
  • 46 to 55131 (13%)
  • 56 to 65112 (11%)
  • 66 to 7562 (6.2%)
  • Over 7558 (5.8%)
  • Not recorded3 (0.3%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider690 (69%)
  • Passenger198 (20%)
  • Pedestrian108 (11%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car994 (76%)
  • Motorcycle95 (7.3%)
  • Pedal cycle87 (6.7%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes53 (4.1%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes38 (2.9%)
  • Agricultural vehicle12 (0.9%)
  • Personal powered transporter (e-scooter or similar)10 (0.8%)
  • Bus or coach6 (0.5%)
  • Mobility scooter4 (0.3%)
  • Taxi or private hire car2 (0.2%)
  • Other4 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Somerset in 2021

Map of the last 24 crashes of 2021 and the 10 busiest accident hotspots in Somerset

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

Accident hotspots (10)

How Somerset ranked among 350 areas in 2021

Of the 350 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Somerset had the 23rd most road collisions in 2021.

Collisions
23rd
highest of 350 areas
Casualties
18th
highest of 350 areas
Fatal collisions
3rd
highest of 350 areas
Serious collisions
33rd
highest of 350 areas

Accident hotspots in Somerset in 2021

Taunton East, Somerset, TA1 1QY area was the busiest accident hotspot in Somerset in 2021, with 23 collisions, 2 of them serious.

Roads in Somerset with the most crashes in 2021

The A38 had the most collisions in Somerset in 2021: 79, including 1 fatal and 11 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Somerset, 2021
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA3879112111
2ndA39506136
3rdA303364963
4thA358314914
5thA361274227
6thA30242905
7thM5222922
8thA37213013
9thA371213217
10thB3139152103
11thA372101604
12thA30278901
13thA35981103
14thB31518800
15thA36271101
16thA30386800
17thB30906700
18thB31356701
19thB31405700
20thA30884600

Towns in Somerset: crashes in 2021

Taunton had the most collisions of any town in Somerset in 2021: 68.

Postcode districts in Somerset: crashes in 2021

TA6 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Somerset in 2021: 84.

Former districts in Somerset in 2021

Somerset now covers 6 former district councils, abolished in April 2019 and April 2023. Of these, South Somerset had the most collisions in 2021: 197.

Latest crashes in Somerset in 2021

Of the last 24 crashes in Somerset in 2021, none were fatal and 6 were serious. The last was on 31 December 2021.

Severity

Somerset road accidents in other years