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CrashStats

West Suffolk road accidents in 1997: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 620 road traffic collisions in West Suffolk in 1997, and 865 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 10 were fatal and 100 were serious.

Collisions were up 4% on 1996 (599), and casualties fell from 912.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 24,682 collisions in West Suffolk.

Collisions in 1997
620
Up 4% on 1996
Casualties in 1997
865
Down 5% on 1996
Fatal collisions
10
1.6% of collisions
Serious collisions
100
16% of collisions

Crash severity in West Suffolk in 1997

1.6% of collisions in West Suffolk in 1997 were fatal and 16% serious, against 2.5% and 23% in West Suffolk from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal101.6%
  • Serious10016%
  • Slight51082%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal111.3%
  • Serious12815%
  • Slight72684%

West Suffolk road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in West Suffolk, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 780 in 1988. 1997 is highlighted, with 620, up 4% on 1996.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1997
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025288373
2024264357
2023211298
2022224336
2021262371
2020200254
2019284418
2018339459
2017316443
2016353463
2015322417
2014394542
2013357508
2012442660
2011452597
2010464644
2009463643
2008525732
2007571812
2006565808
2005555781
2004506722
2003648899
2002662973
20016821,014
2000613921
1999606904
1998613852
1997620865
1996599912
1995512728
1994563774
1993588866
1992613882
1991633905
19907291,086
19897591,075
19887801,101
1987684952
1986681971
1985618850
19847321,009
1983652918
1982698974
19817001,008
1980650954
1979690962

When and where crashes happen in West Suffolk in 1997

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday93 (15%)
  • Tuesday94 (15%)
  • Wednesday89 (14%)
  • Thursday87 (14%)
  • Friday108 (17%)
  • Saturday76 (12%)
  • Sunday73 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5928 (4.5%)
  • 03:00 to 05:5917 (2.7%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5987 (14%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5979 (13%)
  • 12:00 to 14:59104 (17%)
  • 15:00 to 17:59152 (25%)
  • 18:00 to 20:59101 (16%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5952 (8.4%)

Collisions by month

  • January50 (8.1%)
  • February44 (7.1%)
  • March53 (8.5%)
  • April47 (7.6%)
  • May45 (7.3%)
  • June65 (10%)
  • July50 (8.1%)
  • August45 (7.3%)
  • September38 (6.1%)
  • October67 (11%)
  • November53 (8.5%)
  • December63 (10%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight415 (67%)
  • Dark, no street lighting106 (17%)
  • Dark, street lights lit93 (15%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown4 (0.6%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit2 (0.3%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds468 (75%)
  • Raining, no high winds102 (16%)
  • Fine with high winds12 (1.9%)
  • Fog or mist11 (1.8%)
  • Raining with high winds8 (1.3%)
  • Snowing, no high winds3 (0.5%)
  • Other15 (2.4%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.2%)

Road surface

  • Dry371 (60%)
  • Wet or damp229 (37%)
  • Frost or ice15 (2.4%)
  • Snow4 (0.6%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep1 (0.2%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph281 (45%)
  • 40 mph37 (6%)
  • 50 mph4 (0.6%)
  • 60 mph255 (41%)
  • 70 mph43 (6.9%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway510 (82%)
  • Dual carriageway53 (8.5%)
  • Roundabout38 (6.1%)
  • One way street or slip road17 (2.7%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in West Suffolk in 1997

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant613 (71%)
  • Pedestrian76 (8.8%)
  • Motorcyclist72 (8.3%)
  • Cyclist47 (5.4%)
  • Van occupant32 (3.7%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)15 (1.7%)
  • Bus or coach occupant4 (0.5%)
  • Minibus occupant3 (0.3%)
  • Other vehicle occupant3 (0.3%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 513 (1.5%)
  • 6 to 1028 (3.2%)
  • 11 to 1528 (3.2%)
  • 16 to 20154 (18%)
  • 21 to 25105 (12%)
  • 26 to 35191 (22%)
  • 36 to 45101 (12%)
  • 46 to 5595 (11%)
  • 56 to 6566 (7.6%)
  • 66 to 7529 (3.4%)
  • Over 7519 (2.2%)
  • Not recorded36 (4.2%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider567 (66%)
  • Passenger222 (26%)
  • Pedestrian76 (8.8%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car898 (76%)
  • Motorcycle74 (6.3%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes68 (5.8%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes54 (4.6%)
  • Pedal cycle48 (4.1%)
  • Other vehicle18 (1.5%)
  • Bus or coach13 (1.1%)
  • Minibus4 (0.3%)
  • Taxi or private hire car2 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for West Suffolk in 1997

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1997 in West Suffolk

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

How West Suffolk ranked among 351 areas in 1997

Of the 351 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, West Suffolk had the 135th most road collisions in 1997.

Collisions
135th
highest of 351 areas
Casualties
136th
highest of 351 areas
Fatal collisions
100th
highest of 351 areas
Serious collisions
128th
highest of 351 areas

Roads in West Suffolk with the most crashes in 1997

The A143 had the most collisions in West Suffolk in 1997: 59, including 2 fatal and 11 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in West Suffolk, 1997
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA1435988211
2ndA134446219
3rdA1101426405
4thA1065406009
5thA144055210
6thA11386329
7thA1302263102
8thB1103192301
9thA1304151812
10thB1106131800
11thB1112111511
12thB1063101611
13thA108891800
14thA14291803
15thA60491100
16thB11028800
17thB10617901
18thB15066703
19thB11075602
20thA10924600

Towns in West Suffolk: crashes in 1997

Bury St Edmunds had the most collisions of any town in West Suffolk in 1997: 94.

Postcode districts in West Suffolk: crashes in 1997

IP28 had the most collisions of any postcode district in West Suffolk in 1997: 125.

Former districts in West Suffolk in 1997

West Suffolk now covers 2 former district councils, abolished in April 2019. Of these, St Edmundsbury had the most collisions in 1997: 381.

Latest crashes in West Suffolk in 1997

Of the last 24 crashes in West Suffolk in 1997, 1 was fatal and 3 were serious. The last was on 30 December 1997.

Severity

West Suffolk road accidents in other years