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CrashStats

West Dorset road accidents in 1983: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 341 road traffic collisions in West Dorset in 1983, and 490 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 13 were fatal and 108 were serious.

Collisions were down 11% on 1982 (382), and casualties fell from 573.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 15,774 collisions in West Dorset.

District council until April 2019, now part of Dorset. Figures follow the old district boundary.

Collisions in 1983
341
Down 11% on 1982
Casualties in 1983
490
Down 14% on 1982
Fatal collisions
13
3.8% of collisions
Serious collisions
108
32% of collisions

Crash severity in West Dorset in 1983

3.8% of collisions in West Dorset in 1983 were fatal and 32% serious, against 2.5% and 22% in West Dorset from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal133.8%
  • Serious10832%
  • Slight22065%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal142.9%
  • Serious13828%
  • Slight33869%

West Dorset road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in West Dorset, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 467 in 1998. 1983 is highlighted, with 341, down 11% on 1982.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1983
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025207297
2024248331
2023209285
2022217316
2021222298
2020159226
2019209304
2018189265
2017225328
2016248382
2015277409
2014262384
2013249356
2012283408
2011289436
2010267401
2009317455
2008308461
2007342502
2006372581
2005346522
2004388602
2003359554
2002426663
2001441656
2000438710
1999401633
1998467699
1997440662
1996425671
1995355611
1994431686
1993392626
1992405662
1991391620
1990389616
1989386632
1988393584
1987400611
1986363538
1985358530
1984411621
1983341490
1982382573
1981367569
1980390540
1979390566

When and where crashes happen in West Dorset in 1983

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday57 (17%)
  • Tuesday29 (8.5%)
  • Wednesday56 (16%)
  • Thursday48 (14%)
  • Friday49 (14%)
  • Saturday54 (16%)
  • Sunday48 (14%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5915 (4.4%)
  • 03:00 to 05:594 (1.2%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5946 (13%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5955 (16%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5957 (17%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5989 (26%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5944 (13%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5931 (9.1%)

Collisions by month

  • January26 (7.6%)
  • February17 (5%)
  • March21 (6.2%)
  • April25 (7.3%)
  • May26 (7.6%)
  • June39 (11%)
  • July49 (14%)
  • August37 (11%)
  • September34 (10%)
  • October27 (7.9%)
  • November17 (5%)
  • December23 (6.7%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight273 (80%)
  • Dark, no street lighting53 (16%)
  • Dark, street lights lit14 (4.1%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown1 (0.3%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds271 (79%)
  • Raining, no high winds44 (13%)
  • Fog or mist10 (2.9%)
  • Fine with high winds4 (1.2%)
  • Raining with high winds3 (0.9%)
  • Snowing, no high winds1 (0.3%)
  • Other8 (2.3%)

Road surface

  • Dry225 (66%)
  • Wet or damp107 (31%)
  • Frost or ice8 (2.3%)
  • Snow1 (0.3%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph120 (35%)
  • 40 mph8 (2.3%)
  • 60 mph200 (59%)
  • 70 mph13 (3.8%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway318 (93%)
  • Dual carriageway14 (4.1%)
  • One way street or slip road5 (1.5%)
  • Roundabout4 (1.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in West Dorset in 1983

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant284 (58%)
  • Motorcyclist104 (21%)
  • Pedestrian35 (7.1%)
  • Cyclist34 (6.9%)
  • Van occupant15 (3.1%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)12 (2.4%)
  • Bus or coach occupant4 (0.8%)
  • Minibus occupant1 (0.2%)
  • Other vehicle occupant1 (0.2%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 57 (1.4%)
  • 6 to 1020 (4.1%)
  • 11 to 1529 (5.9%)
  • 16 to 20126 (26%)
  • 21 to 2585 (17%)
  • 26 to 3567 (14%)
  • 36 to 4546 (9.4%)
  • 46 to 5536 (7.3%)
  • 56 to 6534 (6.9%)
  • 66 to 7527 (5.5%)
  • Over 7513 (2.7%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider300 (61%)
  • Passenger155 (32%)
  • Pedestrian35 (7.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car392 (61%)
  • Motorcycle105 (16%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes47 (7.4%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes37 (5.8%)
  • Pedal cycle36 (5.6%)
  • Other vehicle12 (1.9%)
  • Bus or coach8 (1.3%)
  • Minibus1 (0.2%)
  • Taxi or private hire car1 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for West Dorset in 1983

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1983 in West Dorset

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

Roads in West Dorset with the most crashes in 1983

The A35 had the most collisions in West Dorset in 1983: 81, including 4 fatal and 17 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in West Dorset, 1983
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA3581122417
2ndA3522737112
3rdA372240010
4thA354192613
5thA30182326
6thB3157162317
7thA3066101303
8thB31439904
9thA35671511
10thB31457702
11thB339071111
12thA30525701
13thA3535703
14thB31623300
15thA30702200
16thB31442200
17thB31632501
18thA30301300
19thB31471100
20thB31911101

Towns in West Dorset: crashes in 1983

Dorchester, Dorset had the most collisions of any town in West Dorset in 1983: 50.

Postcode districts in West Dorset: crashes in 1983

DT2 had the most collisions of any postcode district in West Dorset in 1983: 134.

Dorset and its former districts in 1983

Dorset recorded 1,146 collisions in 1983, and 30% of them were in the old West Dorset district.

Other former districts in Dorset

Latest crashes in West Dorset in 1983

Of the last 24 crashes in West Dorset in 1983, 2 were fatal and 7 were serious. The last was on 29 December 1983.

Severity

West Dorset road accidents in other years