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CrashStats

M40 road accidents: crash map and statistics

Collisions since 1979
7,674
140th highest of 2,813 postcode districts
Casualties
10,347
1.35 per collision
Fatal collisions
127
133 people killed
Serious collisions
1,064
1,154 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
45
Down 13% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
62
Down 6% on 2024

Road collision statistics for M40

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal1271.7%
  • Serious1,06414%
  • Slight6,48384%

What the data shows

  • M40 had 593 collisions from 2016 to 2025, 47% fewer than the 1,126 from 2006 to 2015.
  • 16% of collisions in M40 were fatal or serious, against 20% across Great Britain.
  • 2,114 children under 16 were killed or injured in M40, 20% of the casualties whose age was recorded.
  • The road surface was wet, icy, snowy or flooded in 39% of collisions in M40.

Where M40 ranks among 2,813 postcode districts

Most collisions
140th
Most casualties
123rd
Most fatal collisions
135th
Most serious collisions
327th

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday1,129 (15%)
  • Tuesday1,105 (14%)
  • Wednesday1,065 (14%)
  • Thursday1,177 (15%)
  • Friday1,263 (16%)
  • Saturday1,120 (15%)
  • Sunday815 (11%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight5,426 (71%)
  • Dark, street lights lit2,129 (28%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown57 (0.7%)
  • Dark, no street lighting38 (0.5%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit24 (0.3%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway5,779 (75%)
  • Dual carriageway1,590 (21%)
  • One way street or slip road95 (1.2%)
  • Roundabout83 (1.1%)
  • Not recorded127 (1.7%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 10 mph1 (under 0.1%)
  • 20 mph122 (1.6%)
  • 30 mph7,053 (92%)
  • 40 mph483 (6.3%)
  • 50 mph2 (under 0.1%)
  • 60 mph1 (under 0.1%)
  • 70 mph12 (0.2%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds5,847 (76%)
  • Raining, no high winds1,316 (17%)
  • Raining with high winds141 (1.8%)
  • Fine with high winds130 (1.7%)
  • Snowing, no high winds40 (0.5%)
  • Fog or mist23 (0.3%)
  • Snowing with high winds13 (0.2%)
  • Other67 (0.9%)
  • Not recorded97 (1.3%)

Who was hurt

  • Car occupant5,574 (54%)
  • Pedestrian2,591 (25%)
  • Cyclist694 (6.7%)
  • Motorcyclist632 (6.1%)
  • Bus or coach occupant324 (3.1%)
  • Van occupant232 (2.2%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant170 (1.6%)
  • Minibus occupant52 (0.5%)
  • Other vehicle occupant37 (0.4%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)30 (0.3%)
  • Other5 (under 0.1%)
  • Not recorded6 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

M40 road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in M40, 1979 to 2025

Collisions in M40 peaked at 289 in 1990; 2025 had 45.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 45
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20254562
20245266
20234858
20224755
20215470
20205368
20196890
201876112
201786120
20166485
201571110
2014101152
20138198
201295139
201196138
201093137
2009144229
2008136194
2007170269
2006139185
2005170239
2004199271
2003225344
2002204287
2001220336
2000204285
1999196286
1998216304
1997199283
1996204266
1995202264
1994224291
1993241312
1992266332
1991262352
1990289364
1989248307
1988223289
1987218291
1986215264
1985225271
1984224264
1983208262
1982237317
1981201245
1980214282
1979221302

Map of recent crashes in M40

Map of the 24 most recent crashes in M40

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

Recent road crashes in M40

The 24 most recent collisions in M40 happened between 21 May and 27 December 2025.

Severity

Crashes by road in M40

The A62 has the most collisions in M40, 1,513 of 7,674 (20%), followed by the A6010 (655).

Collisions in M40 on each road, 1979 to 2025
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA621,5132,15428185
2ndA6010655916790
3rdB63935367381272
4thA6644646781460
5thA6104331432835
6thA663213274844
7thA6111210
8thA662111301
9thA66571200
10thM607902
11thA6276701
12thA564601

Council areas covering M40

Collisions in M40 were recorded in 5 council areas. Manchester has 7,487 of 7,674 (98%).

Collisions in M40 by council area, 1979 to 2025
RankCouncil areaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stManchester7,48710,0821221,042
2ndOldham161221319
3rdSalford121500
4thTameside61720
5thRochdale4401

Towns in M40

Collisions in M40 were recorded in 3 towns, led by Manchester (7,354) and Chadderton (20).