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CrashStats

A256 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 3,580 collisions on the A256 from 1979 to 2025, with 4,843 casualties. Of those crashes, 56 were fatal and 657 serious, and 64 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 41 collisions on the A256, up 24% from 33 in 2024, with 52 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
3,580
316th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
4,843
1.35 per collision
Fatal collisions
56
64 people killed
Serious collisions
657
771 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
41
Up 24% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
52
Up 11% on 2024

Crash severity on the A256

On the A256, 1.6% of collisions were fatal and 18% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal561.6%
  • Serious65718%
  • Slight2,86780%

Where the A256 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
316th
Most casualties
315th
Most fatal collisions
378th
Most serious collisions
307th

A256 accidents by year

Collisions on the A256 peaked at 142 in 1981 and were down to 41 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A256, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 41
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20254152
20243347
20234158
20224566
20214563
20203645
20193344
20184257
20173951
20166791
20155772
20146683
20136786
20125779
20116285
201069109
200973100
20086281
200780105
20065586
20055787
20046373
200377107
200278106
200195133
200077114
19995176
199878108
199780105
1996102134
199586119
199477114
199396129
1992101131
1991106150
199099124
1989104149
198884105
198787127
1986105143
1985100128
1984110149
1983115150
1982117140
1981142187
198099128
1979124167

When crashes happen on the A256

Friday has the most collisions on the A256 (586), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (865).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday537 (15%)
  • Tuesday505 (14%)
  • Wednesday527 (15%)
  • Thursday550 (15%)
  • Friday586 (16%)
  • Saturday525 (15%)
  • Sunday350 (9.8%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am127 (3.5%)
  • 3am to 6am76 (2.1%)
  • 6am to 9am486 (14%)
  • 9am to noon537 (15%)
  • Noon to 3pm711 (20%)
  • 3pm to 6pm865 (24%)
  • 6pm to 9pm482 (13%)
  • 9pm to midnight296 (8.3%)

Collisions by month

  • January286 (8%)
  • February253 (7.1%)
  • March294 (8.2%)
  • April247 (6.9%)
  • May271 (7.6%)
  • June297 (8.3%)
  • July312 (8.7%)
  • August327 (9.1%)
  • September326 (9.1%)
  • October337 (9.4%)
  • November328 (9.2%)
  • December302 (8.4%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight2,665 (74%)
  • Dark, street lights lit625 (17%)
  • Dark, no street lighting236 (6.6%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit31 (0.9%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown23 (0.6%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A256 crashes

On the A256, 52% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 30 mph and 69% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph1 (under 0.1%)
  • 30 mph1,872 (52%)
  • 40 mph382 (11%)
  • 50 mph130 (3.6%)
  • 60 mph1,047 (29%)
  • 70 mph148 (4.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds2,787 (78%)
  • Raining, no high winds516 (14%)
  • Fog or mist46 (1.3%)
  • Raining with high winds39 (1.1%)
  • Other116 (3.2%)
  • Not recorded76 (2.1%)

Road surface

  • Dry2,456 (69%)
  • Wet or damp1,019 (28%)
  • Frost or ice70 (2%)
  • Snow23 (0.6%)
  • Other9 (0.3%)
  • Not recorded3 (0.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway2,378 (66%)
  • One way street or slip road649 (18%)
  • Dual carriageway278 (7.8%)
  • Roundabout268 (7.5%)
  • Not recorded7 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A256 crashes

Car occupants make up 59% of the people killed or injured on the A256, followed by motorcyclists (15%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant2,861 (59%)
  • Motorcyclist715 (15%)
  • Pedestrian677 (14%)
  • Cyclist285 (5.9%)
  • Bus or coach occupant87 (1.8%)
  • Van occupant83 (1.7%)
  • Other131 (2.7%)
  • Not recorded4 (0.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car4,864 (74%)
  • Motorcycle749 (11%)
  • Pedal cycle300 (4.5%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes244 (3.7%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes204 (3.1%)
  • Bus or coach102 (1.5%)
  • Other125 (1.9%)
  • Not recorded11 (0.2%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 593 (1.9%)
  • 6 to 10140 (2.9%)
  • 11 to 15259 (5.3%)
  • 16 to 20871 (18%)
  • 21 to 25623 (13%)
  • 26 to 35868 (18%)
  • 36 to 45688 (14%)
  • 46 to 55474 (9.8%)
  • 56 to 65357 (7.4%)
  • 66 to 75207 (4.3%)
  • Over 75160 (3.3%)
  • Not recorded103 (2.1%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider2,936 (61%)
  • Passenger1,230 (25%)
  • Pedestrian677 (14%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A256

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A256

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

A256 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A256 were recorded in 2 council areas. Dover has the most, with 2,637, followed by Thanet (941).

Collisions on the A256 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stDover2,6373,51644497
2ndThanet9411,32312158

A256 crashes by town

Collisions on the A256 were recorded in 6 towns and built-up areas, led by Dover (1,472) and Broadstairs (207).

Recent crashes on the A256

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A256, from 20 May to 17 December 2025.

Severity