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CrashStats

M46 road accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 2,682 road traffic collisions in the M46 postcode district, Wigan, from 1979 to 2025, and 3,473 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 33 were fatal and 332 were serious.

In 2025 police recorded 15 collisions, down from 17 in 2024.

Collisions since 1979
2,682
1,436th of 2,813 postcode districts, highest first
Casualties
3,473
1.29 per collision
Fatal collisions
33
35 people killed
Serious collisions
332
353 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
15
17 in 2024
Casualties in 2025
20
Down 9% on 2024

Road collision statistics for M46

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal331.2%
  • Serious33212%
  • Slight2,31786%

What the data shows

  • M46 had 184 collisions from 2016 to 2025, 49% fewer than the 359 from 2006 to 2015.
  • 14% of collisions in M46 were fatal or serious, against 20% across Great Britain.
  • 716 children under 16 were killed or injured in M46, 21% of the casualties whose age was recorded.
  • The road surface was wet, icy, snowy or flooded in 37% of collisions in M46.

Where M46 ranks among 2,813 postcode districts

Most collisions
1,436th
Most casualties
1,497th
Most fatal collisions
1,756th
Most serious collisions
1,922nd

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday369 (14%)
  • Tuesday376 (14%)
  • Wednesday375 (14%)
  • Thursday434 (16%)
  • Friday431 (16%)
  • Saturday381 (14%)
  • Sunday316 (12%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight1,893 (71%)
  • Dark, street lights lit745 (28%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown30 (1.1%)
  • Dark, no street lighting9 (0.3%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit5 (0.2%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway2,210 (82%)
  • One way street or slip road261 (9.7%)
  • Roundabout111 (4.1%)
  • Dual carriageway52 (1.9%)
  • Not recorded48 (1.8%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph47 (1.8%)
  • 30 mph2,514 (94%)
  • 40 mph66 (2.5%)
  • 50 mph50 (1.9%)
  • 60 mph4 (0.1%)
  • 70 mph1 (under 0.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds2,098 (78%)
  • Raining, no high winds403 (15%)
  • Fine with high winds50 (1.9%)
  • Raining with high winds49 (1.8%)
  • Snowing, no high winds14 (0.5%)
  • Fog or mist8 (0.3%)
  • Snowing with high winds3 (0.1%)
  • Other25 (0.9%)
  • Not recorded32 (1.2%)

Who was hurt

  • Car occupant1,744 (50%)
  • Pedestrian808 (23%)
  • Motorcyclist348 (10%)
  • Cyclist343 (9.9%)
  • Bus or coach occupant88 (2.5%)
  • Van occupant88 (2.5%)
  • Other vehicle occupant19 (0.5%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant14 (0.4%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)13 (0.4%)
  • Minibus occupant7 (0.2%)
  • Other1 (under 0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

M46 road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in M46, 1979 to 2025

Collisions in M46 peaked at 103 in 1990; 2025 had 15.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 15
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20251520
20241722
20231518
20222225
20211621
20201516
20192023
20182030
20172833
20161618
20152024
20142130
20132331
20123243
20112636
20102738
20094367
20084356
20075372
200671106
20055468
20047285
200380101
200269104
20017092
200089109
199977115
199887121
1997102145
19967188
199591111
199496125
19938097
19926992
199192114
1990103160
198989108
198881109
19876984
19867789
19858292
19847483
198388102
19826576
198180105
19807198
19796171

Map of recent crashes in M46

Map of the 24 most recent crashes in M46

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

Recent road crashes in M46

The 24 most recent collisions in M46 happened between 21 May 2024 and 23 December 2025.

Severity

Crashes by road in M46

The A577 has the most collisions in M46, 700 of 2,682 (26%), followed by the A579 (589).

Collisions in M46 on each road, 1979 to 2025
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA577700895785
2ndA5795898021176
3rdB5215191270323
4thB5235637707
5thA5727801
6thB52124400
7thA5733301
8thA63701

Council areas covering M46

Collisions in M46 were recorded in 2 council areas. Wigan has 2,599 of 2,682 (97%).

Collisions in M46 by council area, 1979 to 2025
RankCouncil areaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stWigan2,5993,34628321
2ndBolton82126511

Town in M46

Of the 2,682 collisions in M46, 2,496 (93%) were in Atherton.