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CrashStats

South Hams road accidents in 1997: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 317 road traffic collisions in the South Hams in 1997, and 432 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 1 was fatal and 32 were serious.

Collisions were down 5% on 1996 (332), and casualties fell from 449.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 12,165 collisions in the South Hams.

Collisions in 1997
317
Down 5% on 1996
Casualties in 1997
432
Down 4% on 1996
Fatal collisions
1
0.3% of collisions
Serious collisions
32
10% of collisions

Crash severity in the South Hams in 1997

0.3% of collisions in the South Hams in 1997 were fatal and 10% serious, against 1.7% and 20% in the South Hams from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal10.3%
  • Serious3210%
  • Slight28490%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal10.2%
  • Serious409.3%
  • Slight39191%

South Hams road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in the South Hams, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 363 in 1986. 1997 is highlighted, with 317, down 5% on 1996.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1997
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025158217
2024146183
2023141177
2022134181
2021139194
2020122163
2019156265
2018179245
2017199274
2016217295
2015211293
2014233352
2013210280
2012243358
2011211309
2010220332
2009253345
2008283404
2007322446
2006344456
2005333450
2004303371
2003286387
2002302417
2001284410
2000319438
1999285379
1998286375
1997317432
1996332449
1995308415
1994239323
1993282383
1992254353
1991258373
1990275364
1989278448
1988300404
1987264347
1986363529
1985339473
1984294428
1983270385
1982325472
1981327500
1980325450
1979296419

When and where crashes happen in the South Hams in 1997

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday42 (13%)
  • Tuesday44 (14%)
  • Wednesday52 (16%)
  • Thursday40 (13%)
  • Friday57 (18%)
  • Saturday40 (13%)
  • Sunday42 (13%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5916 (5%)
  • 03:00 to 05:596 (1.9%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5931 (9.8%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5969 (22%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5958 (18%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5975 (24%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5931 (9.8%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5931 (9.8%)

Collisions by month

  • January16 (5%)
  • February24 (7.6%)
  • March20 (6.3%)
  • April25 (7.9%)
  • May28 (8.8%)
  • June30 (9.5%)
  • July30 (9.5%)
  • August41 (13%)
  • September28 (8.8%)
  • October22 (6.9%)
  • November32 (10%)
  • December21 (6.6%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight247 (78%)
  • Dark, no street lighting54 (17%)
  • Dark, street lights lit16 (5%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds225 (71%)
  • Raining, no high winds50 (16%)
  • Raining with high winds12 (3.8%)
  • Fine with high winds7 (2.2%)
  • Fog or mist7 (2.2%)
  • Snowing with high winds1 (0.3%)
  • Snowing, no high winds1 (0.3%)
  • Other10 (3.2%)
  • Not recorded4 (1.3%)

Road surface

  • Dry175 (55%)
  • Wet or damp137 (43%)
  • Frost or ice4 (1.3%)
  • Snow1 (0.3%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph113 (36%)
  • 40 mph11 (3.5%)
  • 50 mph3 (0.9%)
  • 60 mph161 (51%)
  • 70 mph29 (9.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway280 (88%)
  • Dual carriageway23 (7.3%)
  • Roundabout7 (2.2%)
  • One way street or slip road5 (1.6%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.6%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in the South Hams in 1997

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant345 (80%)
  • Pedestrian32 (7.4%)
  • Motorcyclist25 (5.8%)
  • Cyclist16 (3.7%)
  • Van occupant8 (1.9%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)4 (0.9%)
  • Bus or coach occupant2 (0.5%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 57 (1.6%)
  • 6 to 109 (2.1%)
  • 11 to 1519 (4.4%)
  • 16 to 2062 (14%)
  • 21 to 2561 (14%)
  • 26 to 35102 (24%)
  • 36 to 4561 (14%)
  • 46 to 5547 (11%)
  • 56 to 6526 (6%)
  • 66 to 7514 (3.2%)
  • Over 7523 (5.3%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.2%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider271 (63%)
  • Passenger129 (30%)
  • Pedestrian32 (7.4%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car471 (84%)
  • Motorcycle25 (4.4%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes21 (3.7%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes19 (3.4%)
  • Pedal cycle17 (3%)
  • Bus or coach7 (1.2%)
  • Other vehicle2 (0.4%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for the South Hams in 1997

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1997 in the South Hams

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

How the South Hams ranked among 351 areas in 1997

Of the 351 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, the South Hams had fewer road collisions than 296 of them in 1997.

Collisions
297th
of 351 areas, highest first
Casualties
298th
of 351 areas, highest first
Fatal collisions
336th
of 351 areas, highest first
Serious collisions
325th
of 351 areas, highest first

Roads in the South Hams with the most crashes in 1997

The A379 had the most collisions in the South Hams in 1997: 42, including 6 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in the South Hams, 1997
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA379426506
2ndA381355006
3rdA38263311
4thA385242701
5thA384131501
6thA312271001
7thB319671001
8thB32137700
9thB32105802
10thA31214501
11thB31864601
12thB31212200
13thB31942300
14thB32052200
15thB32072200
16thB33922200
17thA371100
18thA3861100
19thA3881300
20thB30601200

Towns in the South Hams: crashes in 1997

Totnes had the most collisions of any town in the South Hams in 1997: 28.

Postcode districts in the South Hams: crashes in 1997

TQ9 had the most collisions of any postcode district in the South Hams in 1997: 97.

Latest crashes in the South Hams in 1997

Of the last 24 crashes in the South Hams in 1997, none were fatal and 4 were serious. The last was on 31 December 1997.

Severity

South Hams road accidents in other years