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CrashStats

A401 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 4,363 collisions on the A401 from 1979 to 2025, with 4,761 casualties. Of those crashes, 18 were fatal and 594 serious, and 18 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 50 collisions on the A401, up 35% from 37 in 2024, with 52 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
4,363
242nd highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
4,761
1.09 per collision
Fatal collisions
18
18 people killed
Serious collisions
594
617 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
50
Up 35% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
52
Up 30% on 2024

Crash severity on the A401

On the A401, 0.4% of collisions were fatal and 14% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal180.4%
  • Serious59414%
  • Slight3,75186%

Where the A401 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
242nd
Most casualties
324th
Most fatal collisions
1,081st
Most serious collisions
340th

A401 accidents by year

Collisions on the A401 peaked at 159 in 1984 and were down to 50 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A401, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 50
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20255052
20243740
20234648
20224046
20214349
20203033
20196167
20184953
20175964
20166167
20157489
20147180
20137683
20126467
20117277
20107175
20097085
20086780
20076974
20068085
20056472
2004105116
20038387
2002102110
2001100111
2000114123
1999136149
1998124138
1997139153
1996110120
1995123134
199499106
19938795
1992109114
199194104
1990134143
1989129135
1988152164
1987140151
1986119132
1985115126
1984159172
1983138146
1982131141
1981107122
1980135145
1979125138

When crashes happen on the A401

Friday has the most collisions on the A401 (803), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (965).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday669 (15%)
  • Tuesday687 (16%)
  • Wednesday739 (17%)
  • Thursday678 (16%)
  • Friday803 (18%)
  • Saturday477 (11%)
  • Sunday310 (7.1%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am237 (5.4%)
  • 3am to 6am135 (3.1%)
  • 6am to 9am344 (7.9%)
  • 9am to noon674 (15%)
  • Noon to 3pm849 (19%)
  • 3pm to 6pm965 (22%)
  • 6pm to 9pm671 (15%)
  • 9pm to midnight488 (11%)

Collisions by month

  • January283 (6.5%)
  • February308 (7.1%)
  • March351 (8%)
  • April322 (7.4%)
  • May404 (9.3%)
  • June378 (8.7%)
  • July392 (9%)
  • August420 (9.6%)
  • September381 (8.7%)
  • October434 (9.9%)
  • November390 (8.9%)
  • December300 (6.9%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight3,002 (69%)
  • Dark, street lights lit1,303 (30%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown46 (1.1%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit11 (0.3%)
  • Dark, no street lighting1 (under 0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A401 crashes

On the A401, 92% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 30 mph and 80% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph331 (7.6%)
  • 30 mph4,022 (92%)
  • 40 mph8 (0.2%)
  • 50 mph1 (under 0.1%)
  • 60 mph1 (under 0.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds3,359 (77%)
  • Raining, no high winds508 (12%)
  • Fine with high winds27 (0.6%)
  • Snowing, no high winds17 (0.4%)
  • Other370 (8.5%)
  • Not recorded82 (1.9%)

Road surface

  • Dry3,487 (80%)
  • Wet or damp835 (19%)
  • Snow9 (0.2%)
  • Frost or ice8 (0.2%)
  • Oil or diesel2 (under 0.1%)
  • Not recorded22 (0.5%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway3,391 (78%)
  • One way street or slip road409 (9.4%)
  • Dual carriageway286 (6.6%)
  • Roundabout16 (0.4%)
  • Not recorded261 (6%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A401 crashes

Pedestrians make up 29% of the people killed or injured on the A401, followed by motorcyclists (25%).

Casualties by road user

  • Pedestrian1,378 (29%)
  • Motorcyclist1,195 (25%)
  • Cyclist1,070 (22%)
  • Car occupant568 (12%)
  • Bus or coach occupant370 (7.8%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant117 (2.5%)
  • Van occupant48 (1%)
  • Other15 (0.3%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car2,633 (38%)
  • Motorcycle1,507 (21%)
  • Pedal cycle1,138 (16%)
  • Taxi or private hire car565 (8.1%)
  • Bus or coach504 (7.2%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes485 (6.9%)
  • Other185 (2.6%)
  • Not recorded1 (under 0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 528 (0.6%)
  • 6 to 1027 (0.6%)
  • 11 to 1545 (0.9%)
  • 16 to 20417 (8.8%)
  • 21 to 25871 (18%)
  • 26 to 351,433 (30%)
  • 36 to 45730 (15%)
  • 46 to 55404 (8.5%)
  • 56 to 65236 (5%)
  • 66 to 75125 (2.6%)
  • Over 7574 (1.6%)
  • Not recorded371 (7.8%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider2,683 (56%)
  • Pedestrian1,378 (29%)
  • Passenger700 (15%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A401

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A401

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

A401 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A401 were recorded in 3 council areas. Camden has the most, with 1,952, followed by Westminster (1,402) and Islington (1,004).

Collisions on the A401 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stCamden1,9522,1379255
2ndWestminster1,4021,5287202
3rdIslington1,0041,0902137

A401 crashes by town

Collisions on the A401 were recorded in 3 towns and built-up areas, led by Camden (1,867) and City of Westminster (1,231).

Recent crashes on the A401

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A401, from 22 June to 21 December 2025.

Severity