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CrashStats

A38(M) accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 676 collisions on the A38(M) from 1979 to 2025, with 1,045 casualties. Of those crashes, 15 were fatal and 95 serious, and 17 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 11 collisions on the A38(M), up 22% from 9 in 2024, with 20 casualties.

Live A38(M) closures, incidents and roadworks are checked every 5 minutes.

Collisions since 1979
676
1,542nd highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
1,045
1.55 per collision
Fatal collisions
15
17 people killed
Serious collisions
95
127 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
11
Up 22% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
20
Up 43% on 2024

Crash severity on the A38(M)

On the A38(M), 2.2% of collisions were fatal and 14% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal152.2%
  • Serious9514%
  • Slight56684%

Where the A38(M) ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
1,542nd
Most casualties
1,389th
Most fatal collisions
1,258th
Most serious collisions
2,003rd

A38(M) accidents by year

Collisions on the A38(M) peaked at 38 in 1984 and were down to 11 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A38(M), 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20251120
2024914
202355
20221217
2021812
2020612
20191317
20181834
20171224
20161420
20152650
20141926
20131529
20121421
2011923
20101220
20091321
20081122
20071926
20061316
20051114
20041525
20031624
20022241
20011925
20002132
199989
19981416
19972125
19961010
19951925
19941727
19931217
19921428
19911418
19901935
19892431
19881319
198777
19861527
1985918
19843851
19831017
198289
19811423
19801929
1979814

When crashes happen on the A38(M)

Friday has the most collisions on the A38(M) (121), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (211).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday106 (16%)
  • Tuesday85 (13%)
  • Wednesday111 (16%)
  • Thursday107 (16%)
  • Friday121 (18%)
  • Saturday82 (12%)
  • Sunday64 (9.5%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am32 (4.7%)
  • 3am to 6am24 (3.6%)
  • 6am to 9am95 (14%)
  • 9am to noon83 (12%)
  • Noon to 3pm100 (15%)
  • 3pm to 6pm211 (31%)
  • 6pm to 9pm86 (13%)
  • 9pm to midnight45 (6.7%)

Collisions by month

  • January68 (10%)
  • February49 (7.2%)
  • March46 (6.8%)
  • April52 (7.7%)
  • May56 (8.3%)
  • June41 (6.1%)
  • July42 (6.2%)
  • August53 (7.8%)
  • September53 (7.8%)
  • October63 (9.3%)
  • November88 (13%)
  • December65 (9.6%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight457 (68%)
  • Dark, street lights lit209 (31%)
  • Dark, no street lighting5 (0.7%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown3 (0.4%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit2 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A38(M) crashes

On the A38(M), 80% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 50 mph and 61% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph61 (9%)
  • 40 mph28 (4.1%)
  • 50 mph544 (80%)
  • 60 mph4 (0.6%)
  • 70 mph39 (5.8%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds485 (72%)
  • Raining, no high winds105 (16%)
  • Fine with high winds16 (2.4%)
  • Fog or mist8 (1.2%)
  • Other53 (7.8%)
  • Not recorded9 (1.3%)

Road surface

  • Dry415 (61%)
  • Wet or damp242 (36%)
  • Frost or ice15 (2.2%)
  • Snow2 (0.3%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.3%)

Type of road

  • Dual carriageway490 (72%)
  • Single carriageway103 (15%)
  • One way street or slip road72 (11%)
  • Roundabout10 (1.5%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A38(M) crashes

Car occupants make up 83% of the people killed or injured on the A38(M), followed by motorcyclists (5.3%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant872 (83%)
  • Motorcyclist55 (5.3%)
  • Van occupant47 (4.5%)
  • Pedestrian21 (2%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)17 (1.6%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant11 (1.1%)
  • Bus or coach occupant10 (1%)
  • Other12 (1.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car1,268 (81%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes108 (6.9%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes100 (6.4%)
  • Motorcycle51 (3.2%)
  • Bus or coach18 (1.1%)
  • Other vehicle8 (0.5%)
  • Other18 (1.1%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 517 (1.6%)
  • 6 to 1016 (1.5%)
  • 11 to 1519 (1.8%)
  • 16 to 20119 (11%)
  • 21 to 25183 (18%)
  • 26 to 35295 (28%)
  • 36 to 45196 (19%)
  • 46 to 55114 (11%)
  • 56 to 6539 (3.7%)
  • 66 to 7519 (1.8%)
  • Over 7510 (1%)
  • Not recorded18 (1.7%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider688 (66%)
  • Passenger336 (32%)
  • Pedestrian21 (2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A38(M)

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A38(M)

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

A38(M) crashes by council area

Collisions on the A38(M) were recorded in 2 council areas. Birmingham has the most, with 659, followed by East Staffordshire (17).

Collisions on the A38(M) in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stBirmingham6591,0131493
2ndEast Staffordshire173212

A38(M) crashes by town

Collisions on the A38(M) were recorded in 2 towns and built-up areas, led by Birmingham (642) and Burton upon Trent (9).

Recent crashes on the A38(M)

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A38(M), from 24 February 2023 to 25 December 2025.

Severity