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CrashStats

Swindon road accidents in 1981: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 708 road traffic collisions in Swindon in 1981, and 944 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 7 were fatal and 179 were serious.

Collisions were up 3% on 1980 (690), and casualties rose from 886.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 27,158 collisions in Swindon.

Collisions in 1981
708
Up 3% on 1980
Casualties in 1981
944
Up 7% on 1980
Fatal collisions
7
1% of collisions
Serious collisions
179
25% of collisions

Crash severity in Swindon in 1981

1% of collisions in Swindon in 1981 were fatal and 25% serious, against 1.2% and 16% in Swindon from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal71%
  • Serious17925%
  • Slight52274%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal70.7%
  • Serious21122%
  • Slight72677%

Swindon road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Swindon, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 828 in 1984. 1981 is highlighted, with 708, up 3% on 1980.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1981
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025401511
2024382474
2023405544
2022425522
2021409509
2020291365
2019391505
2018394488
2017386507
2016495641
2015448593
2014418550
2013395521
2012446590
2011434573
2010386497
2009448589
2008475617
2007555737
2006579732
2005554737
2004676951
2003681919
20027861,036
20017981,121
2000726994
1999645886
1998646855
1997691917
1996646832
1995595759
1994609808
1993578731
1992594744
1991610777
1990713928
1989680870
1988717926
1987679891
19867791,029
19858051,014
19848281,030
1983788997
1982687854
1981708944
1980690886
1979686871

When and where crashes happen in Swindon in 1981

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday105 (15%)
  • Tuesday80 (11%)
  • Wednesday104 (15%)
  • Thursday117 (17%)
  • Friday120 (17%)
  • Saturday109 (15%)
  • Sunday73 (10%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5923 (3.2%)
  • 03:00 to 05:595 (0.7%)
  • 06:00 to 08:59105 (15%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5968 (9.6%)
  • 12:00 to 14:59123 (17%)
  • 15:00 to 17:59169 (24%)
  • 18:00 to 20:59116 (16%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5999 (14%)

Collisions by month

  • January56 (7.9%)
  • February45 (6.4%)
  • March54 (7.6%)
  • April54 (7.6%)
  • May51 (7.2%)
  • June57 (8.1%)
  • July77 (11%)
  • August62 (8.8%)
  • September85 (12%)
  • October62 (8.8%)
  • November55 (7.8%)
  • December50 (7.1%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight495 (70%)
  • Dark, street lights lit149 (21%)
  • Dark, no street lighting47 (6.6%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit17 (2.4%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds539 (76%)
  • Raining, no high winds105 (15%)
  • Fine with high winds19 (2.7%)
  • Raining with high winds18 (2.5%)
  • Snowing, no high winds14 (2%)
  • Fog or mist9 (1.3%)
  • Snowing with high winds1 (0.1%)
  • Not recorded3 (0.4%)

Road surface

  • Dry455 (64%)
  • Wet or damp220 (31%)
  • Frost or ice18 (2.5%)
  • Snow14 (2%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep1 (0.1%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph433 (61%)
  • 40 mph92 (13%)
  • 50 mph1 (0.1%)
  • 60 mph118 (17%)
  • 70 mph64 (9%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway545 (77%)
  • Dual carriageway86 (12%)
  • Roundabout51 (7.2%)
  • One way street or slip road26 (3.7%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Swindon in 1981

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant411 (44%)
  • Motorcyclist244 (26%)
  • Pedestrian125 (13%)
  • Cyclist111 (12%)
  • Van occupant33 (3.5%)
  • Bus or coach occupant14 (1.5%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)3 (0.3%)
  • Other vehicle occupant3 (0.3%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 528 (3%)
  • 6 to 1039 (4.1%)
  • 11 to 1565 (6.9%)
  • 16 to 20282 (30%)
  • 21 to 25140 (15%)
  • 26 to 35123 (13%)
  • 36 to 4581 (8.6%)
  • 46 to 5578 (8.3%)
  • 56 to 6562 (6.6%)
  • 66 to 7529 (3.1%)
  • Over 7517 (1.8%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider579 (61%)
  • Passenger240 (25%)
  • Pedestrian125 (13%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car718 (58%)
  • Motorcycle247 (20%)
  • Pedal cycle118 (9.5%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes92 (7.4%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes26 (2.1%)
  • Bus or coach24 (1.9%)
  • Other vehicle7 (0.6%)
  • Minibus4 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Swindon in 1981

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1981 in Swindon

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

How Swindon ranked among 349 areas in 1981

Of the 349 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Swindon had the 108th most road collisions in 1981.

Collisions
108th
highest of 349 areas
Casualties
110th
highest of 349 areas
Fatal collisions
276th
of 349 areas, highest first
Serious collisions
128th
highest of 349 areas

Roads in Swindon with the most crashes in 1981

The A345 had the most collisions in Swindon in 1981: 89, including 1 fatal and 16 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Swindon, 1981
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA34589117116
2ndA4206384315
3rdA3615773223
4thA4195184014
5thM4285909
6thB4006222903
7thB4289171803
8thB4019101203
9thB400581002
10thB45073301
11thB40001200

Towns in Swindon: crashes in 1981

Swindon, Swindon had the most collisions of any town in Swindon in 1981: 423.

Postcode districts in Swindon: crashes in 1981

SN3 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Swindon in 1981: 190.

Latest crashes in Swindon in 1981

Of the last 24 crashes in Swindon in 1981, none were fatal and 9 were serious. The last was on 29 December 1981.

Severity

Swindon road accidents in other years