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CrashStats

M21 road accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 4,154 road traffic collisions in the M21 postcode district, Manchester, from 1979 to 2025, and 5,367 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 37 were fatal and 496 were serious.

In 2025 police recorded 26 collisions, up 13% on 2024 (23).

Collisions since 1979
4,154
836th highest of 2,813 postcode districts
Casualties
5,367
1.29 per collision
Fatal collisions
37
37 people killed
Serious collisions
496
524 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
26
Up 13% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
32
Up 23% on 2024

Road collision statistics for M21

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal370.9%
  • Serious49612%
  • Slight3,62187%

What the data shows

  • M21 had 258 collisions from 2016 to 2025, 53% fewer than the 550 from 2006 to 2015.
  • 13% of collisions in M21 were fatal or serious, against 20% across Great Britain.
  • 866 children under 16 were killed or injured in M21, 16% of the casualties whose age was recorded.
  • The road surface was wet, icy, snowy or flooded in 39% of collisions in M21.

Where M21 ranks among 2,813 postcode districts

Most collisions
836th
Most casualties
872nd
Most fatal collisions
1,608th
Most serious collisions
1,499th

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday603 (15%)
  • Tuesday619 (15%)
  • Wednesday591 (14%)
  • Thursday692 (17%)
  • Friday701 (17%)
  • Saturday555 (13%)
  • Sunday393 (9.5%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight2,889 (70%)
  • Dark, street lights lit1,184 (29%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown51 (1.2%)
  • Dark, no street lighting17 (0.4%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit13 (0.3%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway3,299 (79%)
  • Dual carriageway737 (18%)
  • One way street or slip road36 (0.9%)
  • Roundabout3 (0.1%)
  • Not recorded79 (1.9%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 10 mph1 (under 0.1%)
  • 20 mph43 (1%)
  • 30 mph3,589 (86%)
  • 40 mph516 (12%)
  • 50 mph3 (0.1%)
  • 70 mph2 (under 0.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds3,166 (76%)
  • Raining, no high winds715 (17%)
  • Raining with high winds79 (1.9%)
  • Fine with high winds59 (1.4%)
  • Snowing, no high winds22 (0.5%)
  • Fog or mist13 (0.3%)
  • Snowing with high winds5 (0.1%)
  • Other46 (1.1%)
  • Not recorded49 (1.2%)

Who was hurt

  • Car occupant2,745 (51%)
  • Pedestrian1,162 (22%)
  • Cyclist738 (14%)
  • Motorcyclist376 (7%)
  • Bus or coach occupant154 (2.9%)
  • Van occupant97 (1.8%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant42 (0.8%)
  • Other vehicle occupant18 (0.3%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)17 (0.3%)
  • Minibus occupant10 (0.2%)
  • Other8 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

M21 road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in M21, 1979 to 2025

Collisions in M21 peaked at 151 in 1990; 2025 had 26.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 26
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20252632
20242326
20231721
20222223
20213239
20202529
20193141
20182939
20173552
20161829
20153647
20143747
20133956
20125160
20115773
20105364
20095882
20087495
20076997
200676110
2005116148
2004107139
2003102150
2002112169
2001120181
2000127178
1999138188
1998132173
1997136183
1996125156
1995114149
1994118155
1993131165
1992140193
1991143177
1990151186
1989120149
1988147188
1987141170
1986112131
1985115137
1984123160
1983130142
1982114148
1981118142
1980109129
1979105119

Map of recent crashes in M21

Map of the 24 most recent crashes in M21

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

Recent road crashes in M21

The 24 most recent collisions in M21 happened between 12 February and 30 December 2025.

Severity

Crashes by road in M21

The A5145 has the most collisions in M21, 939 of 4,154 (23%), followed by the A6010 (745).

Collisions in M21 on each road, 1979 to 2025
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA51459391,1839115
2ndA60107459791085
3rdB5217474578360
4thA5103367525541
5thA6144162001
6thA60615601
7thB50934501
8thB51454600
9thA5603300
10thB5213700

Council areas covering M21

Collisions in M21 were recorded in 4 council areas. Manchester has 4,134 of 4,154 (99.5%).

Collisions in M21 by council area, 1979 to 2025
RankCouncil areaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stManchester4,1345,34537491
2ndTrafford7802
3rdSalford5501
4thStockport5501

Town in M21

Of the 4,154 collisions in M21, 4,047 (97%) were in Manchester.