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CrashStats

West Northamptonshire road accidents in 1981: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 1,564 road traffic collisions in West Northamptonshire in 1981, and 2,222 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 44 were fatal and 595 were serious.

Collisions were up 1% on 1980 (1,541), and casualties rose from 2,154.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 53,355 collisions in West Northamptonshire.

Collisions in 1981
1,564
Up 1% on 1980
Casualties in 1981
2,222
Up 3% on 1980
Fatal collisions
44
2.8% of collisions
Serious collisions
595
38% of collisions

Crash severity in West Northamptonshire in 1981

2.8% of collisions in West Northamptonshire in 1981 were fatal and 38% serious, against 2.5% and 25% in West Northamptonshire from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal442.8%
  • Serious59538%
  • Slight92559%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal482.2%
  • Serious82737%
  • Slight1,34761%

West Northamptonshire road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in West Northamptonshire, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 1,825 in 1989. 1981 is highlighted, with 1,564, up 1% on 1980.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1981
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20257701,016
2024751990
2023749957
2022747970
2021604773
2020493627
2019649914
2018599805
2017633829
2016748929
20158181,077
20147631,011
2013721943
2012696931
2011725957
2010750995
20098231,069
20089691,287
20079481,264
20061,0321,443
20051,0491,446
20041,1681,666
20031,2011,641
20021,1761,601
20011,1881,614
20001,3091,895
19991,4152,074
19981,4002,014
19971,3131,924
19961,2181,794
19951,2731,801
19941,3081,847
19931,3901,944
19921,3561,902
19911,4412,025
19901,6742,348
19891,8252,664
19881,6162,258
19871,6462,378
19861,5762,237
19851,5852,254
19841,5652,239
19831,5142,079
19821,6282,258
19811,5642,222
19801,5412,154
19791,4282,058

When and where crashes happen in West Northamptonshire in 1981

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday199 (13%)
  • Tuesday201 (13%)
  • Wednesday199 (13%)
  • Thursday234 (15%)
  • Friday309 (20%)
  • Saturday232 (15%)
  • Sunday190 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5954 (3.5%)
  • 03:00 to 05:5929 (1.9%)
  • 06:00 to 08:59213 (14%)
  • 09:00 to 11:59221 (14%)
  • 12:00 to 14:59223 (14%)
  • 15:00 to 17:59355 (23%)
  • 18:00 to 20:59244 (16%)
  • 21:00 to 23:59225 (14%)

Collisions by month

  • January105 (6.7%)
  • February123 (7.9%)
  • March115 (7.4%)
  • April115 (7.4%)
  • May145 (9.3%)
  • June107 (6.8%)
  • July141 (9%)
  • August159 (10%)
  • September162 (10%)
  • October152 (9.7%)
  • November125 (8%)
  • December115 (7.4%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight1,063 (68%)
  • Dark, street lights lit251 (16%)
  • Dark, no street lighting203 (13%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown41 (2.6%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit6 (0.4%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds1,182 (76%)
  • Raining, no high winds207 (13%)
  • Fine with high winds42 (2.7%)
  • Raining with high winds29 (1.9%)
  • Fog or mist25 (1.6%)
  • Snowing, no high winds25 (1.6%)
  • Snowing with high winds10 (0.6%)
  • Other31 (2%)
  • Not recorded13 (0.8%)

Road surface

  • Dry897 (57%)
  • Wet or damp557 (36%)
  • Frost or ice73 (4.7%)
  • Snow35 (2.2%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep2 (0.1%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 10 mph2 (0.1%)
  • 30 mph730 (47%)
  • 40 mph58 (3.7%)
  • 50 mph27 (1.7%)
  • 60 mph499 (32%)
  • 70 mph246 (16%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway1,104 (71%)
  • Dual carriageway348 (22%)
  • Roundabout50 (3.2%)
  • One way street or slip road47 (3%)
  • Not recorded15 (1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in West Northamptonshire in 1981

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant1,152 (52%)
  • Motorcyclist434 (20%)
  • Pedestrian214 (9.6%)
  • Van occupant127 (5.7%)
  • Cyclist123 (5.5%)
  • Bus or coach occupant53 (2.4%)
  • Minibus occupant53 (2.4%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)46 (2.1%)
  • Other vehicle occupant11 (0.5%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant9 (0.4%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 547 (2.1%)
  • 6 to 1099 (4.5%)
  • 11 to 15100 (4.5%)
  • 16 to 20576 (26%)
  • 21 to 25326 (15%)
  • 26 to 35380 (17%)
  • 36 to 45219 (9.9%)
  • 46 to 55201 (9%)
  • 56 to 65160 (7.2%)
  • 66 to 7583 (3.7%)
  • Over 7531 (1.4%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider1,267 (57%)
  • Passenger741 (33%)
  • Pedestrian214 (9.6%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car1,835 (63%)
  • Motorcycle455 (16%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes218 (7.4%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes167 (5.7%)
  • Pedal cycle131 (4.5%)
  • Bus or coach58 (2%)
  • Minibus24 (0.8%)
  • Other vehicle23 (0.8%)
  • Taxi or private hire car21 (0.7%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for West Northamptonshire in 1981

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1981 in West Northamptonshire

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

How West Northamptonshire ranked among 349 areas in 1981

Of the 349 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, West Northamptonshire had the 24th most road collisions in 1981.

Collisions
24th
highest of 349 areas
Casualties
18th
highest of 349 areas
Fatal collisions
11th
highest of 349 areas
Serious collisions
10th
highest of 349 areas

Roads in West Northamptonshire with the most crashes in 1981

The M1 had the most collisions in West Northamptonshire in 1981: 195, including 3 fatal and 82 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in West Northamptonshire, 1981
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stM1195393382
2ndA45165212261
3rdA431622291062
4thA508134175053
5thA42875104423
6thA569102330
7thA5123373909
8thA503541113
9thA3613146114
10thA4222433011
11thA4345233227
12thA5095233405
13thA4508202208
14thB4525142108
15thA41132207
16thA5101101003
17thB4031101316
18thB403691203
19thB403881004
20thA4256804

Towns in West Northamptonshire: crashes in 1981

Northampton had the most collisions of any town in West Northamptonshire in 1981: 648.

Postcode districts in West Northamptonshire: crashes in 1981

NN1 had the most collisions of any postcode district in West Northamptonshire in 1981: 232.

Former districts in West Northamptonshire in 1981

West Northamptonshire now covers 3 former district councils, abolished in April 2021. Of these, Northampton had the most collisions in 1981: 717.

Latest crashes in West Northamptonshire in 1981

Of the last 24 crashes in West Northamptonshire in 1981, none were fatal and 8 were serious. The last was on 31 December 1981.

Severity

West Northamptonshire road accidents in other years