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CrashStats

West Dorset road accidents in 1996: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 425 road traffic collisions in West Dorset in 1996, and 671 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 14 were fatal and 66 were serious.

Collisions were up 20% on 1995 (355), and casualties rose from 611.

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 1996
425
Up 20% on 1995
Casualties in 1996
671
Up 10% on 1995
Fatal collisions
14
3.3% of collisions
Serious collisions
66
16% of collisions

Crash severity in West Dorset in 1996

3.3% of collisions in West Dorset in 1996 were fatal and 16% serious, against 2.5% and 22% in West Dorset from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal143.3%
  • Serious6616%
  • Slight34581%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal192.8%
  • Serious8112%
  • Slight57185%

West Dorset road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in West Dorset, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 467 in 1998. 1996 is highlighted, with 425, up 20% on 1995.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1996
  • 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 1996

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday60 (14%)
  • Tuesday60 (14%)
  • Wednesday64 (15%)
  • Thursday59 (14%)
  • Friday70 (16%)
  • Saturday63 (15%)
  • Sunday49 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5912 (2.8%)
  • 03:00 to 05:594 (0.9%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5955 (13%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5979 (19%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5973 (17%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5997 (23%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5972 (17%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5933 (7.8%)

Collisions by month

  • January30 (7.1%)
  • February27 (6.4%)
  • March32 (7.5%)
  • April21 (4.9%)
  • May37 (8.7%)
  • June41 (9.6%)
  • July51 (12%)
  • August41 (9.6%)
  • September32 (7.5%)
  • October34 (8%)
  • November41 (9.6%)
  • December38 (8.9%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight329 (77%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit70 (16%)
  • Dark, street lights lit24 (5.6%)
  • Dark, no street lighting2 (0.5%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds320 (75%)
  • Raining, no high winds73 (17%)
  • Fog or mist12 (2.8%)
  • Fine with high winds3 (0.7%)
  • Snowing, no high winds3 (0.7%)
  • Snowing with high winds2 (0.5%)
  • Raining with high winds1 (0.2%)
  • Other10 (2.4%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.2%)

Road surface

  • Dry243 (57%)
  • Wet or damp159 (37%)
  • Frost or ice20 (4.7%)
  • Snow2 (0.5%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep1 (0.2%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph124 (29%)
  • 40 mph24 (5.6%)
  • 50 mph3 (0.7%)
  • 60 mph257 (60%)
  • 70 mph17 (4%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway394 (93%)
  • Dual carriageway20 (4.7%)
  • Roundabout8 (1.9%)
  • One way street or slip road3 (0.7%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in West Dorset in 1996

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant516 (77%)
  • Motorcyclist46 (6.9%)
  • Pedestrian34 (5.1%)
  • Cyclist26 (3.9%)
  • Van occupant24 (3.6%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)13 (1.9%)
  • Minibus occupant7 (1%)
  • Other vehicle occupant3 (0.4%)
  • Bus or coach occupant1 (0.1%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant1 (0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 511 (1.6%)
  • 6 to 1019 (2.8%)
  • 11 to 1526 (3.9%)
  • 16 to 20111 (17%)
  • 21 to 2591 (14%)
  • 26 to 35140 (21%)
  • 36 to 4587 (13%)
  • 46 to 5566 (9.8%)
  • 56 to 6559 (8.8%)
  • 66 to 7533 (4.9%)
  • Over 7528 (4.2%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider442 (66%)
  • Passenger195 (29%)
  • Pedestrian34 (5.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car645 (79%)
  • Motorcycle44 (5.4%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes38 (4.6%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes37 (4.5%)
  • Pedal cycle28 (3.4%)
  • Other vehicle12 (1.5%)
  • Minibus9 (1.1%)
  • Bus or coach4 (0.5%)
  • Taxi or private hire car2 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for West Dorset in 1996

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1996 in West Dorset

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

Roads in West Dorset with the most crashes in 1996

The A35 had the most collisions in West Dorset in 1996: 89, including 4 fatal and 14 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in West Dorset, 1996
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA3589151414
2ndB3157376128
3rdA352243802
4thA30193003
5thA37183404
6thA356162301
7thB3162141912
8thA3066131401
9thA354132611
10thA353101302
11thB3145101412
12thB314381003
13thB315081400
14thB31476700
15thA30525600
16thA30304401
17thB31444900
18thB31594700
19thB31634601
20thB339041202

Towns in West Dorset: crashes in 1996

Dorchester, Dorset had the most collisions of any town in West Dorset in 1996: 28.

Postcode districts in West Dorset: crashes in 1996

DT2 had the most collisions of any postcode district in West Dorset in 1996: 162.

Dorset and its former districts in 1996

Dorset recorded 1,384 collisions in 1996, and 31% of them were in the old West Dorset district.

Other former districts in Dorset

Latest crashes in West Dorset in 1996

Of the last 24 crashes in West Dorset in 1996, none were fatal and 6 were serious. The last was on 31 December 1996.

Severity

West Dorset road accidents in other years