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CrashStats

M5 road accidents: crash map and statistics

Collisions since 1979
3,604
1,037th highest of 2,813 postcode districts
Casualties
5,068
1.41 per collision
Fatal collisions
58
58 people killed
Serious collisions
469
523 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
42
Up 50% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
48
Up 41% on 2024

Road collision statistics for M5

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal581.6%
  • Serious46913%
  • Slight3,07785%

What the data shows

  • M5 had 339 collisions from 2016 to 2025, 26% fewer than the 458 from 2006 to 2015.
  • 15% of collisions in M5 were fatal or serious, against 20% across Great Britain.
  • 691 children under 16 were killed or injured in M5, 14% of the casualties whose age was recorded.
  • The road surface was wet, icy, snowy or flooded in 35% of collisions in M5.

Where M5 ranks among 2,813 postcode districts

Most collisions
1,037th
Most casualties
977th
Most fatal collisions
978th
Most serious collisions
1,580th

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday540 (15%)
  • Tuesday543 (15%)
  • Wednesday548 (15%)
  • Thursday573 (16%)
  • Friday587 (16%)
  • Saturday452 (13%)
  • Sunday361 (10%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight2,526 (70%)
  • Dark, street lights lit1,017 (28%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown34 (0.9%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit15 (0.4%)
  • Dark, no street lighting12 (0.3%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway1,996 (55%)
  • Dual carriageway1,239 (34%)
  • Roundabout246 (6.8%)
  • One way street or slip road41 (1.1%)
  • Not recorded82 (2.3%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph33 (0.9%)
  • 30 mph2,637 (73%)
  • 40 mph744 (21%)
  • 50 mph4 (0.1%)
  • 60 mph6 (0.2%)
  • 70 mph180 (5%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds2,854 (79%)
  • Raining, no high winds536 (15%)
  • Raining with high winds60 (1.7%)
  • Fine with high winds49 (1.4%)
  • Snowing, no high winds14 (0.4%)
  • Fog or mist5 (0.1%)
  • Snowing with high winds2 (0.1%)
  • Other38 (1.1%)
  • Not recorded46 (1.3%)

Who was hurt

  • Car occupant3,010 (59%)
  • Pedestrian845 (17%)
  • Cyclist388 (7.7%)
  • Motorcyclist358 (7.1%)
  • Van occupant154 (3%)
  • Bus or coach occupant113 (2.2%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant98 (1.9%)
  • Minibus occupant38 (0.7%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)34 (0.7%)
  • Other vehicle occupant19 (0.4%)
  • Other6 (0.1%)
  • Not recorded5 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

M5 road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in M5, 1979 to 2025

Collisions in M5 peaked at 143 in 1996; 2025 had 42.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 42
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20254248
20242834
20233247
20223243
20213749
20201516
20194354
20184167
20174472
20162533
20152432
20143450
20132543
20123652
20114055
20104467
200970114
20085774
20075775
20067199
20056499
200472101
20037497
200286132
200184138
2000103176
1999113162
199893148
1997133209
1996143241
1995125192
1994124191
1993114163
1992106152
1991120181
1990101145
1989131189
1988110134
198790113
19868296
198598119
198493109
1983104130
198294110
198192114
1980131153
1979127150

Map of recent crashes in M5

Map of the 24 most recent crashes in M5

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

Recent road crashes in M5

The 24 most recent collisions in M5 happened between 19 June and 26 December 2025.

Severity

Crashes by road in M5

The A57 has the most collisions in M5, 1,010 of 3,604 (28%), followed by the A5063 (446).

Collisions in M5 on each road, 1979 to 2025
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA571,0101,48217128
2ndA50634465921258
3rdA6363524229
4thA5066308441143
5thM602212335514
6thB546189122011
7thB5228445606
8thB5225162302
9thA5186131403
10thA5064121804
11thA576111601
12thA604291402
13thA51854511
14thA50653301
15thA563400
16thA5603300

Council areas covering M5

Collisions in M5 were recorded in 3 council areas. Salford has 3,555 of 3,604 (99%).

Collisions in M5 by council area, 1979 to 2025
RankCouncil areaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stSalford3,5555,00356460
2ndManchester334417
3rdTrafford91010

Towns in M5

Collisions in M5 were recorded in 2 towns, led by Salford (3,371) and Eccles, Salford (23).