Skip to main content
CrashStats

A181 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 944 collisions on the A181 from 1979 to 2025, with 1,522 casualties. Of those crashes, 30 were fatal and 163 serious, and 33 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 5 collisions on the A181, down 58% from 12 in 2024, with 7 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
944
1,150th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
1,522
1.61 per collision
Fatal collisions
30
33 people killed
Serious collisions
163
201 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
5
Down 58% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
7
Down 61% on 2024

Crash severity on the A181

On the A181, 3.2% of collisions were fatal and 17% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal303.2%
  • Serious16317%
  • Slight75180%

Where the A181 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
1,150th
Most casualties
978th
Most fatal collisions
680th
Most serious collisions
1,278th

A181 accidents by year

Collisions on the A181 peaked at 46 in 1990 and were down to 5 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A181, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 5
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
202557
20241218
2023710
2022610
202168
2020712
2019813
2018912
2017913
20161114
20151019
20141423
20131224
20121935
20112232
20101940
20093070
20082334
20072434
20062238
20052645
20042844
20032032
20023050
20012030
20002950
19992750
19982744
19971620
19962945
19952643
19942232
19931826
19922029
19911729
19904678
19893766
19883144
19873246
19862532
19852939
19841623
19831924
19821628
19812234
19801729
19792444

When crashes happen on the A181

Friday has the most collisions on the A181 (162), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (219).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday131 (14%)
  • Tuesday146 (15%)
  • Wednesday133 (14%)
  • Thursday160 (17%)
  • Friday162 (17%)
  • Saturday128 (14%)
  • Sunday84 (8.9%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am31 (3.3%)
  • 3am to 6am20 (2.1%)
  • 6am to 9am139 (15%)
  • 9am to noon159 (17%)
  • Noon to 3pm155 (16%)
  • 3pm to 6pm219 (23%)
  • 6pm to 9pm149 (16%)
  • 9pm to midnight72 (7.6%)

Collisions by month

  • January94 (10%)
  • February74 (7.8%)
  • March100 (11%)
  • April74 (7.8%)
  • May72 (7.6%)
  • June58 (6.1%)
  • July76 (8.1%)
  • August69 (7.3%)
  • September71 (7.5%)
  • October89 (9.4%)
  • November85 (9%)
  • December82 (8.7%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight678 (72%)
  • Dark, street lights lit156 (17%)
  • Dark, no street lighting91 (9.6%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown15 (1.6%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit4 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A181 crashes

On the A181, 55% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 60 mph and 54% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph346 (37%)
  • 40 mph64 (6.8%)
  • 50 mph2 (0.2%)
  • 60 mph515 (55%)
  • 70 mph17 (1.8%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds726 (77%)
  • Raining, no high winds143 (15%)
  • Fine with high winds19 (2%)
  • Fog or mist15 (1.6%)
  • Other38 (4%)
  • Not recorded3 (0.3%)

Road surface

  • Dry511 (54%)
  • Wet or damp365 (39%)
  • Frost or ice50 (5.3%)
  • Snow18 (1.9%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway871 (92%)
  • Dual carriageway33 (3.5%)
  • Roundabout31 (3.3%)
  • One way street or slip road9 (1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A181 crashes

Car occupants make up 71% of the people killed or injured on the A181, followed by pedestrians (9.2%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant1,085 (71%)
  • Pedestrian140 (9.2%)
  • Motorcyclist114 (7.5%)
  • Bus or coach occupant63 (4.1%)
  • Van occupant45 (3%)
  • Cyclist33 (2.2%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant14 (0.9%)
  • Other28 (1.8%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car1,338 (77%)
  • Motorcycle112 (6.5%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes102 (5.9%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes55 (3.2%)
  • Bus or coach54 (3.1%)
  • Pedal cycle34 (2%)
  • Taxi or private hire car15 (0.9%)
  • Other19 (1.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 533 (2.2%)
  • 6 to 1047 (3.1%)
  • 11 to 1572 (4.7%)
  • 16 to 20245 (16%)
  • 21 to 25211 (14%)
  • 26 to 35306 (20%)
  • 36 to 45223 (15%)
  • 46 to 55163 (11%)
  • 56 to 65116 (7.6%)
  • 66 to 7558 (3.8%)
  • Over 7548 (3.2%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider885 (58%)
  • Passenger497 (33%)
  • Pedestrian140 (9.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A181

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A181

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

A181 crashes by council area

Of the 944 collisions on the A181, 936 were in County Durham.

Collisions on the A181 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stCounty Durham9361,51030161

A181 crashes by town

Collisions on the A181 were recorded in 4 towns and built-up areas, led by Durham (276) and Wingate (40).

Recent crashes on the A181

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A181, from 7 December 2022 to 6 December 2025.

Severity