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CrashStats

MK42 road accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 6,823 road traffic collisions in the MK42 postcode district, Bedford, from 1979 to 2025, and 8,823 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 72 were fatal and 1,075 were serious.

In 2025 police recorded 105 collisions, down 7% on 2024 (113).

Collisions since 1979
6,823
206th highest of 2,813 postcode districts
Casualties
8,823
1.29 per collision
Fatal collisions
72
76 people killed
Serious collisions
1,075
1,189 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
105
Down 7% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
138
Down 3% on 2024

Road collision statistics for MK42

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal721.1%
  • Serious1,07516%
  • Slight5,67683%

What the data shows

  • MK42 had 1,195 collisions from 2016 to 2025, 8% fewer than the 1,297 from 2006 to 2015.
  • 17% of collisions in MK42 were fatal or serious, against 20% across Great Britain.
  • 1,151 children under 16 were killed or injured in MK42, 13% of the casualties whose age was recorded.
  • The road surface was wet, icy, snowy or flooded in 32% of collisions in MK42.

Where MK42 ranks among 2,813 postcode districts

Most collisions
206th
Most casualties
225th
Most fatal collisions
639th
Most serious collisions
312th

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday955 (14%)
  • Tuesday1,091 (16%)
  • Wednesday1,054 (15%)
  • Thursday1,052 (15%)
  • Friday1,137 (17%)
  • Saturday834 (12%)
  • Sunday700 (10%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight4,910 (72%)
  • Dark, street lights lit1,648 (24%)
  • Dark, no street lighting187 (2.7%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown56 (0.8%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit22 (0.3%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway5,450 (80%)
  • Roundabout585 (8.6%)
  • Dual carriageway433 (6.3%)
  • One way street or slip road324 (4.7%)
  • Not recorded31 (0.5%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph68 (1%)
  • 30 mph5,426 (80%)
  • 40 mph405 (5.9%)
  • 50 mph12 (0.2%)
  • 60 mph661 (9.7%)
  • 70 mph251 (3.7%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds5,564 (82%)
  • Raining, no high winds816 (12%)
  • Fine with high winds142 (2.1%)
  • Raining with high winds86 (1.3%)
  • Fog or mist43 (0.6%)
  • Snowing, no high winds28 (0.4%)
  • Snowing with high winds4 (0.1%)
  • Other112 (1.6%)
  • Not recorded28 (0.4%)

Who was hurt

  • Car occupant4,537 (51%)
  • Pedestrian1,323 (15%)
  • Motorcyclist1,242 (14%)
  • Cyclist1,173 (13%)
  • Van occupant207 (2.3%)
  • Bus or coach occupant103 (1.2%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant80 (0.9%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)64 (0.7%)
  • Minibus occupant39 (0.4%)
  • Other vehicle occupant23 (0.3%)
  • Other15 (0.2%)
  • Not recorded17 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

MK42 road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in MK42, 1979 to 2025

Collisions in MK42 peaked at 211 in 1989; 2025 had 105.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025105138
2024113143
2023115144
2022126167
202180101
202088116
2019144197
2018133184
2017156206
2016135183
2015150209
2014127156
201399125
2012146196
2011139183
2010117169
2009123158
2008123178
2007140179
2006133163
2005122160
2004144179
2003122182
2002126155
2001161213
2000155225
1999130176
1998175219
1997154200
1996151205
1995146199
1994151191
1993144196
1992168213
1991161215
1990184240
1989211266
1988187219
1987176230
1986152178
1985162199
1984184220
1983161193
1982170206
1981167197
1980183216
1979184236

Map of recent crashes in MK42

Map of the 24 most recent crashes in MK42

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

Recent road crashes in MK42

The 24 most recent collisions in MK42 happened between 12 October and 29 December 2025.

Severity

Crashes by road in MK42

The A6 has the most collisions in MK42, 1,054 of 6,823 (15%), followed by the A600 (758).

Collisions in MK42 on each road, 1979 to 2025
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA61,0541,39818168
2ndA6007581,01510119
3rdB531639788696
4thA5134588735397
5thA5141413587246
6thA5140356432362
7thA421334500849
8thA603304418458
9thA418107137424
10thB5305489010
11thA428263403
12thB560171705
13thA13601

Council areas covering MK42

Collisions in MK42 were recorded in 3 council areas. Bedford has 6,709 of 6,823 (98%).

Collisions in MK42 by council area, 1979 to 2025
RankCouncil areaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stBedford6,7098,670721,058
2ndCentral Bedfordshire106142015
3rdLuton81102

Towns in MK42

Collisions in MK42 were recorded in 2 towns, led by Bedford (3,353) and Kempston (2,033).