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CrashStats

A281 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 4,184 collisions on the A281 from 1979 to 2025, with 5,933 casualties. Of those crashes, 119 were fatal and 875 serious, and 126 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 46 collisions on the A281, up 15% from 40 in 2024, with 61 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
4,184
259th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
5,933
1.42 per collision
Fatal collisions
119
126 people killed
Serious collisions
875
1,097 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
46
Up 15% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
61
Up 7% on 2024

Crash severity on the A281

On the A281, 2.8% of collisions were fatal and 21% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal1192.8%
  • Serious87521%
  • Slight3,19076%

Where the A281 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
259th
Most casualties
243rd
Most fatal collisions
167th
Most serious collisions
215th

A281 accidents by year

Collisions on the A281 peaked at 137 in 1980 and were down to 46 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A281, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 46
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20254661
20244057
20234253
20225468
20214461
20204858
20194656
20186283
20175276
20166395
201580114
201473102
20137498
201272102
20115572
20106082
200984124
200892127
200774105
200680113
200595125
200493140
2003105148
200293134
200192136
2000108142
1999115166
1998135178
1997120174
1996118167
199594149
1994101143
199392134
1992109150
199197133
1990114182
1989113172
1988100145
198793146
1986110147
1985111176
1984131193
1983104148
1982121179
1981106141
1980137197
1979136181

When crashes happen on the A281

Friday has the most collisions on the A281 (657), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (926).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday572 (14%)
  • Tuesday614 (15%)
  • Wednesday619 (15%)
  • Thursday624 (15%)
  • Friday657 (16%)
  • Saturday573 (14%)
  • Sunday525 (13%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am139 (3.3%)
  • 3am to 6am69 (1.6%)
  • 6am to 9am599 (14%)
  • 9am to noon716 (17%)
  • Noon to 3pm732 (17%)
  • 3pm to 6pm926 (22%)
  • 6pm to 9pm616 (15%)
  • 9pm to midnight387 (9.2%)

Collisions by month

  • January345 (8.2%)
  • February316 (7.6%)
  • March337 (8.1%)
  • April341 (8.2%)
  • May332 (7.9%)
  • June337 (8.1%)
  • July366 (8.7%)
  • August338 (8.1%)
  • September342 (8.2%)
  • October375 (9%)
  • November369 (8.8%)
  • December386 (9.2%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight2,993 (72%)
  • Dark, no street lighting678 (16%)
  • Dark, street lights lit414 (9.9%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown85 (2%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit14 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A281 crashes

On the A281, 46% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 60 mph and 63% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph9 (0.2%)
  • 30 mph1,515 (36%)
  • 40 mph547 (13%)
  • 50 mph110 (2.6%)
  • 60 mph1,934 (46%)
  • 70 mph69 (1.6%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds3,263 (78%)
  • Raining, no high winds519 (12%)
  • Raining with high winds68 (1.6%)
  • Fine with high winds52 (1.2%)
  • Other150 (3.6%)
  • Not recorded132 (3.2%)

Road surface

  • Dry2,623 (63%)
  • Wet or damp1,410 (34%)
  • Frost or ice119 (2.8%)
  • Snow18 (0.4%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep10 (0.2%)
  • Other4 (0.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway3,718 (89%)
  • Roundabout217 (5.2%)
  • Dual carriageway168 (4%)
  • One way street or slip road55 (1.3%)
  • Not recorded26 (0.6%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A281 crashes

Car occupants make up 69% of the people killed or injured on the A281, followed by motorcyclists (13%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant4,092 (69%)
  • Motorcyclist761 (13%)
  • Cyclist350 (5.9%)
  • Pedestrian345 (5.8%)
  • Van occupant182 (3.1%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)83 (1.4%)
  • Other119 (2%)
  • Not recorded1 (under 0.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car5,976 (74%)
  • Motorcycle764 (9.5%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes437 (5.4%)
  • Pedal cycle359 (4.4%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes323 (4%)
  • Other vehicle74 (0.9%)
  • Bus or coach72 (0.9%)
  • Other79 (1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 569 (1.2%)
  • 6 to 10112 (1.9%)
  • 11 to 15213 (3.6%)
  • 16 to 201,013 (17%)
  • 21 to 25862 (15%)
  • 26 to 351,101 (19%)
  • 36 to 45848 (14%)
  • 46 to 55633 (11%)
  • 56 to 65463 (7.8%)
  • 66 to 75290 (4.9%)
  • Over 75241 (4.1%)
  • Not recorded88 (1.5%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider4,205 (71%)
  • Passenger1,383 (23%)
  • Pedestrian345 (5.8%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A281

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A281

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

A281 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A281 were recorded in 4 council areas. Horsham has the most, with 2,182, followed by Waverley (987) and Guildford (788).

Collisions on the A281 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stHorsham2,1823,00973496
2ndWaverley9871,50431185
3rdGuildford7881,0816128
4thMid Sussex223335966

A281 crashes by town

Collisions on the A281 were recorded in 9 towns and built-up areas, led by Horsham (598) and Guildford (278).

Recent crashes on the A281

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A281, from 28 June to 20 December 2025.

Severity