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CrashStats

M38 road accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 1,577 road traffic collisions in the M38 postcode district, Salford, from 1979 to 2025, and 2,060 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 22 were fatal and 227 were serious.

In 2025 police recorded 21 collisions, up from 19 in 2024.

Collisions since 1979
1,577
1,942nd of 2,813 postcode districts, highest first
Casualties
2,060
1.31 per collision
Fatal collisions
22
22 people killed
Serious collisions
227
249 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
21
19 in 2024
Casualties in 2025
26
Down 19% on 2024

Road collision statistics for M38

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal221.4%
  • Serious22714%
  • Slight1,32884%

What the data shows

  • M38 had 161 collisions from 2016 to 2025, 27% fewer than the 221 from 2006 to 2015.
  • 16% of collisions in M38 were fatal or serious, against 20% across Great Britain.
  • 515 children under 16 were killed or injured in M38, 25% of the casualties whose age was recorded.
  • The road surface was wet, icy, snowy or flooded in 35% of collisions in M38.

Where M38 ranks among 2,813 postcode districts

Most collisions
1,942nd
Most casualties
1,981st
Most fatal collisions
2,104th
Most serious collisions
2,180th

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday208 (13%)
  • Tuesday205 (13%)
  • Wednesday251 (16%)
  • Thursday275 (17%)
  • Friday247 (16%)
  • Saturday205 (13%)
  • Sunday186 (12%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight1,121 (71%)
  • Dark, street lights lit407 (26%)
  • Dark, no street lighting24 (1.5%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown21 (1.3%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit4 (0.3%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway1,403 (89%)
  • Dual carriageway128 (8.1%)
  • One way street or slip road7 (0.4%)
  • Roundabout3 (0.2%)
  • Not recorded36 (2.3%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph24 (1.5%)
  • 30 mph1,457 (92%)
  • 40 mph3 (0.2%)
  • 50 mph1 (0.1%)
  • 60 mph8 (0.5%)
  • 70 mph84 (5.3%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds1,228 (78%)
  • Raining, no high winds212 (13%)
  • Fine with high winds31 (2%)
  • Raining with high winds21 (1.3%)
  • Fog or mist20 (1.3%)
  • Snowing, no high winds10 (0.6%)
  • Snowing with high winds3 (0.2%)
  • Other16 (1%)
  • Not recorded36 (2.3%)

Who was hurt

  • Car occupant988 (48%)
  • Pedestrian502 (24%)
  • Motorcyclist233 (11%)
  • Cyclist220 (11%)
  • Van occupant46 (2.2%)
  • Bus or coach occupant45 (2.2%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)7 (0.3%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant7 (0.3%)
  • Minibus occupant5 (0.2%)
  • Other vehicle occupant5 (0.2%)
  • Other2 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

M38 road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in M38, 1979 to 2025

Collisions in M38 peaked at 63 in 1992; 2025 had 21.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 21
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20252126
20241932
2023710
20221621
20211923
20201321
20191923
20181215
20172230
20161318
20151213
20142325
20131416
20121319
20112427
20101617
20093447
20082737
20072530
20063345
20053145
20044151
20034766
20023951
20014360
20006091
19994664
19985069
19974963
19964670
19955773
19944251
19933759
19926381
19915982
19905876
19895777
19884050
19874959
19863037
19854246
19843640
19833441
19823539
19813542
19803644
19793338

Map of recent crashes in M38

Map of the 24 most recent crashes in M38

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

Recent road crashes in M38

The 24 most recent collisions in M38 happened between 20 November 2024 and 31 December 2025.

Severity

Crashes by road in M38

The A6 has the most collisions in M38, 547 of 1,577 (35%), followed by the A5082 (278).

Collisions in M38 on each road, 1979 to 2025
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA6547739776
2ndA5082278362539
3rdM6185150515
4thB5082232707

Council areas covering M38

Collisions in M38 were recorded in 3 council areas. Salford has 1,497 of 1,577 (95%).

Collisions in M38 by council area, 1979 to 2025
RankCouncil areaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stSalford1,4971,93020211
2ndBolton71120214
3rdOldham5601

Town in M38

Of the 1,577 collisions in M38, 1,455 (92%) were in Little Hulton.