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CrashStats

A26 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 8,472 collisions on the A26 from 1979 to 2025, with 11,357 casualties. Of those crashes, 195 were fatal and 1,703 serious, and 214 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 95 collisions on the A26, up 27% from 75 in 2024, with 131 casualties.

Live A26 closures, incidents and roadworks are checked every 5 minutes.

Collisions since 1979
8,472
101st highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
11,357
1.34 per collision
Fatal collisions
195
214 people killed
Serious collisions
1,703
2,044 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
95
Up 27% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
131
Up 24% on 2024

Crash severity on the A26

On the A26, 2.3% of collisions were fatal and 20% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal1952.3%
  • Serious1,70320%
  • Slight6,57478%

Where the A26 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
101st
Most casualties
107th
Most fatal collisions
97th
Most serious collisions
91st

A26 accidents by year

Collisions on the A26 peaked at 285 in 1982 and were down to 95 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A26, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 95
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
202595131
202475106
2023102136
202292112
202199130
202075102
2019121175
201895141
2017105148
2016144187
2015134208
2014151213
2013137189
2012140194
2011133174
2010144194
2009159226
2008178248
2007186253
2006163213
2005163239
2004185249
2003195263
2002188251
2001198274
2000219279
1999194277
1998212294
1997241327
1996212281
1995212288
1994231301
1993219285
1992186265
1991188246
1990211260
1989221278
1988217276
1987203283
1986264347
1985244326
1984280376
1983255333
1982285366
1981272346
1980216280
1979233287

When crashes happen on the A26

Friday has the most collisions on the A26 (1,476), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (1,990).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday1,152 (14%)
  • Tuesday1,225 (14%)
  • Wednesday1,215 (14%)
  • Thursday1,341 (16%)
  • Friday1,476 (17%)
  • Saturday1,160 (14%)
  • Sunday903 (11%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am300 (3.5%)
  • 3am to 6am131 (1.5%)
  • 6am to 9am1,208 (14%)
  • 9am to noon1,252 (15%)
  • Noon to 3pm1,501 (18%)
  • 3pm to 6pm1,990 (23%)
  • 6pm to 9pm1,284 (15%)
  • 9pm to midnight806 (9.5%)

Collisions by month

  • January687 (8.1%)
  • February642 (7.6%)
  • March625 (7.4%)
  • April627 (7.4%)
  • May639 (7.5%)
  • June723 (8.5%)
  • July663 (7.8%)
  • August694 (8.2%)
  • September757 (8.9%)
  • October812 (9.6%)
  • November849 (10%)
  • December754 (8.9%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight6,012 (71%)
  • Dark, street lights lit1,575 (19%)
  • Dark, no street lighting750 (8.9%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown69 (0.8%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit66 (0.8%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A26 crashes

On the A26, 58% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 30 mph and 66% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph20 (0.2%)
  • 30 mph4,933 (58%)
  • 40 mph916 (11%)
  • 50 mph201 (2.4%)
  • 60 mph2,333 (28%)
  • 70 mph69 (0.8%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds6,530 (77%)
  • Raining, no high winds1,340 (16%)
  • Raining with high winds92 (1.1%)
  • Fog or mist78 (0.9%)
  • Other291 (3.4%)
  • Not recorded141 (1.7%)

Road surface

  • Dry5,556 (66%)
  • Wet or damp2,751 (32%)
  • Frost or ice114 (1.3%)
  • Snow29 (0.3%)
  • Other16 (0.2%)
  • Not recorded6 (0.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway7,632 (90%)
  • Roundabout374 (4.4%)
  • Dual carriageway323 (3.8%)
  • One way street or slip road114 (1.3%)
  • Not recorded29 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A26 crashes

Car occupants make up 58% of the people killed or injured on the A26, followed by motorcyclists (17%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant6,586 (58%)
  • Motorcyclist1,915 (17%)
  • Pedestrian1,371 (12%)
  • Cyclist794 (7%)
  • Van occupant288 (2.5%)
  • Bus or coach occupant180 (1.6%)
  • Other221 (1.9%)
  • Not recorded2 (under 0.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car11,173 (71%)
  • Motorcycle1,967 (12%)
  • Pedal cycle826 (5.2%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes760 (4.8%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes553 (3.5%)
  • Bus or coach280 (1.8%)
  • Other247 (1.6%)
  • Not recorded15 (0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 5151 (1.3%)
  • 6 to 10252 (2.2%)
  • 11 to 15630 (5.5%)
  • 16 to 202,467 (22%)
  • 21 to 251,491 (13%)
  • 26 to 351,930 (17%)
  • 36 to 451,458 (13%)
  • 46 to 551,089 (9.6%)
  • 56 to 65736 (6.5%)
  • 66 to 75525 (4.6%)
  • Over 75420 (3.7%)
  • Not recorded208 (1.8%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider7,342 (65%)
  • Passenger2,644 (23%)
  • Pedestrian1,371 (12%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A26

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A26

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

A26 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A26 were recorded in 5 council areas. Tunbridge Wells has the most, with 2,562, followed by Tonbridge and Malling (2,135) and Wealden (1,578).

Collisions on the A26 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stTunbridge Wells2,5623,12329480
2ndTonbridge and Malling2,1352,78336403
3rdWealden1,5782,40773373
4thMaidstone1,1041,42222216
5thLewes1,0801,60335227

A26 crashes by town

Collisions on the A26 were recorded in 11 towns and built-up areas, led by Royal Tunbridge Wells (1,656) and Tonbridge (1,118).

Recent crashes on the A26

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A26, from 27 October to 30 December 2025.

Severity