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CrashStats

A261 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 121 collisions on the A261 from 1979 to 2025, with 166 casualties. Of those crashes, 2 were fatal and 26 serious, and 2 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 3 collisions on the A261, level with 2024, with 6 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
121
3,837th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
166
1.37 per collision
Fatal collisions
2
2 people killed
Serious collisions
26
29 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
3
Level with 2024
Casualties in 2025
6
Up 50% on 2024

Crash severity on the A261

On the A261, 1.7% of collisions were fatal and 21% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal21.7%
  • Serious2621%
  • Slight9377%

Where the A261 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
3,837th
Most casualties
3,832nd
Most fatal collisions
3,485th
Most serious collisions
3,773rd

A261 accidents by year

Collisions on the A261 peaked at 7 in 1989 and were down to 3 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A261, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
202536
202434
202300
202222
202144
202011
201922
201823
201711
201611
201522
201422
201333
201222
201134
201011
200936
200867
200711
200647
200538
200434
200357
200233
200157
200057
199922
199825
199711
199611
199558
199423
199313
199233
199122
199022
198979
198811
198723
198611
198533
198425
1983710
198256
198111
198000
197912

When crashes happen on the A261

Friday has the most collisions on the A261 (24), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (36).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday11 (9.1%)
  • Tuesday16 (13%)
  • Wednesday15 (12%)
  • Thursday18 (15%)
  • Friday24 (20%)
  • Saturday19 (16%)
  • Sunday18 (15%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am4 (3.3%)
  • 3am to 6am5 (4.1%)
  • 6am to 9am12 (9.9%)
  • 9am to noon15 (12%)
  • Noon to 3pm16 (13%)
  • 3pm to 6pm36 (30%)
  • 6pm to 9pm12 (9.9%)
  • 9pm to midnight21 (17%)

Collisions by month

  • January14 (12%)
  • February8 (6.6%)
  • March7 (5.8%)
  • April8 (6.6%)
  • May7 (5.8%)
  • June11 (9.1%)
  • July11 (9.1%)
  • August12 (9.9%)
  • September14 (12%)
  • October7 (5.8%)
  • November7 (5.8%)
  • December15 (12%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight83 (69%)
  • Dark, no street lighting27 (22%)
  • Dark, street lights lit8 (6.6%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit2 (1.7%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown1 (0.8%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A261 crashes

On the A261, 60% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 60 mph and 60% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph45 (37%)
  • 40 mph2 (1.7%)
  • 60 mph72 (60%)
  • 70 mph2 (1.7%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds92 (76%)
  • Raining, no high winds20 (17%)
  • Fog or mist1 (0.8%)
  • Raining with high winds1 (0.8%)
  • Other6 (5%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.8%)

Road surface

  • Dry73 (60%)
  • Wet or damp39 (32%)
  • Frost or ice7 (5.8%)
  • Snow2 (1.7%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway115 (95%)
  • Dual carriageway5 (4.1%)
  • Roundabout1 (0.8%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A261 crashes

Car occupants make up 70% of the people killed or injured on the A261, followed by motorcyclists (13%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant117 (70%)
  • Motorcyclist22 (13%)
  • Cyclist11 (6.6%)
  • Pedestrian9 (5.4%)
  • Van occupant3 (1.8%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)2 (1.2%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (weight unknown)1 (0.6%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant1 (0.6%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car158 (75%)
  • Motorcycle22 (10%)
  • Pedal cycle10 (4.7%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes10 (4.7%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes8 (3.8%)
  • Goods vehicle, weight unknown2 (0.9%)
  • Taxi or private hire car1 (0.5%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 53 (1.8%)
  • 6 to 104 (2.4%)
  • 11 to 159 (5.4%)
  • 16 to 2030 (18%)
  • 21 to 2525 (15%)
  • 26 to 3529 (17%)
  • 36 to 4515 (9%)
  • 46 to 5522 (13%)
  • 56 to 6511 (6.6%)
  • 66 to 758 (4.8%)
  • Over 756 (3.6%)
  • Not recorded4 (2.4%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider116 (70%)
  • Passenger41 (25%)
  • Pedestrian9 (5.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A261

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A261

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

A261 crashes by council area

Of the 121 collisions on the A261, 119 were in Folkestone and Hythe.

Collisions on the A261 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stFolkestone and Hythe119163226

A261 crashes by town

Of the 121 collisions on the A261, 47 were in the built-up area of Hythe.

Recent crashes on the A261

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A261, from 11 June 2013 to 12 December 2025.

Severity