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CrashStats

A48 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 14,537 collisions on the A48 from 1979 to 2025, with 21,189 casualties. Of those crashes, 407 were fatal and 2,615 serious, and 452 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 128 collisions on the A48, up 19% from 108 in 2024, with 179 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
14,537
50th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
21,189
1.46 per collision
Fatal collisions
407
452 people killed
Serious collisions
2,615
3,382 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
128
Up 19% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
179
Up 9% on 2024

Crash severity on the A48

On the A48, 2.8% of collisions were fatal and 18% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal4072.8%
  • Serious2,61518%
  • Slight11,51579%

Where the A48 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
50th
Most casualties
45th
Most fatal collisions
35th
Most serious collisions
49th

A48 accidents by year

Collisions on the A48 peaked at 495 in 1989 and were down to 128 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A48, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 128
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025128179
2024108164
2023107160
202297137
2021129175
2020120168
2019151208
2018142197
2017136202
2016176233
2015188290
2014205335
2013208308
2012203317
2011207326
2010207311
2009250396
2008296427
2007318469
2006344504
2005356541
2004390584
2003389570
2002372534
2001357529
2000399594
1999370580
1998361582
1997405624
1996333474
1995333486
1994398604
1993402578
1992423613
1991419622
1990420588
1989495677
1988480706
1987424620
1986400568
1985397570
1984431562
1983379491
1982403573
1981412590
1980414579
1979455644

When crashes happen on the A48

Friday has the most collisions on the A48 (2,424), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (3,678).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday2,042 (14%)
  • Tuesday2,118 (15%)
  • Wednesday2,110 (15%)
  • Thursday2,114 (15%)
  • Friday2,424 (17%)
  • Saturday2,066 (14%)
  • Sunday1,663 (11%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am479 (3.3%)
  • 3am to 6am314 (2.2%)
  • 6am to 9am1,743 (12%)
  • 9am to noon2,186 (15%)
  • Noon to 3pm2,722 (19%)
  • 3pm to 6pm3,678 (25%)
  • 6pm to 9pm2,085 (14%)
  • 9pm to midnight1,329 (9.1%)
  • Not recorded1 (under 0.1%)

Collisions by month

  • January1,155 (7.9%)
  • February1,063 (7.3%)
  • March1,167 (8%)
  • April1,114 (7.7%)
  • May1,139 (7.8%)
  • June1,138 (7.8%)
  • July1,277 (8.8%)
  • August1,322 (9.1%)
  • September1,219 (8.4%)
  • October1,241 (8.5%)
  • November1,453 (10%)
  • December1,248 (8.6%)
  • Not recorded1 (under 0.1%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight10,509 (72%)
  • Dark, street lights lit3,020 (21%)
  • Dark, no street lighting641 (4.4%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit185 (1.3%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown157 (1.1%)
  • Not recorded25 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A48 crashes

On the A48, 41% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 30 mph and 66% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph24 (0.2%)
  • 30 mph6,022 (41%)
  • 40 mph1,663 (11%)
  • 50 mph1,445 (9.9%)
  • 60 mph3,009 (21%)
  • 70 mph2,373 (16%)
  • Not recorded1 (under 0.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds10,985 (76%)
  • Raining, no high winds2,263 (16%)
  • Raining with high winds369 (2.5%)
  • Fine with high winds201 (1.4%)
  • Other472 (3.2%)
  • Not recorded247 (1.7%)

Road surface

  • Dry9,537 (66%)
  • Wet or damp4,655 (32%)
  • Frost or ice208 (1.4%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep55 (0.4%)
  • Other56 (0.4%)
  • Not recorded26 (0.2%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway7,865 (54%)
  • Dual carriageway4,272 (29%)
  • Roundabout2,087 (14%)
  • One way street or slip road268 (1.8%)
  • Not recorded45 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A48 crashes

Car occupants make up 71% of the people killed or injured on the A48, followed by motorcyclists (9.8%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant15,045 (71%)
  • Motorcyclist2,076 (9.8%)
  • Pedestrian1,641 (7.7%)
  • Cyclist817 (3.9%)
  • Van occupant529 (2.5%)
  • Bus or coach occupant375 (1.8%)
  • Other703 (3.3%)
  • Not recorded3 (under 0.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car21,405 (77%)
  • Motorcycle2,072 (7.5%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes1,276 (4.6%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes1,221 (4.4%)
  • Pedal cycle834 (3%)
  • Bus or coach330 (1.2%)
  • Other631 (2.3%)
  • Not recorded15 (0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 5367 (1.7%)
  • 6 to 10586 (2.8%)
  • 11 to 15915 (4.3%)
  • 16 to 203,357 (16%)
  • 21 to 252,976 (14%)
  • 26 to 354,296 (20%)
  • 36 to 453,128 (15%)
  • 46 to 552,379 (11%)
  • 56 to 651,613 (7.6%)
  • 66 to 75968 (4.6%)
  • Over 75580 (2.7%)
  • Not recorded24 (0.1%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider12,948 (61%)
  • Passenger6,600 (31%)
  • Pedestrian1,641 (7.7%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A48

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A48

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

A48 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A48 were recorded in 10 council areas. Cardiff has the most, with 3,106, followed by Newport (2,996) and Neath Port Talbot (1,642).

Collisions on the A48 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stCardiff3,1064,44774436
2ndNewport2,9964,12253508
3rdNeath Port Talbot1,6422,25421242
4thCarmarthenshire1,5172,42754374
5thForest of Dean1,5092,30982374
6thSwansea1,2531,70514142
7thBridgend8721,35834160
8thMonmouthshire7161,07018186
9thVale of Glamorgan7101,14637156
10thTewkesbury1863041936

A48 crashes by town

Collisions on the A48 were recorded in 21 towns and built-up areas, led by Cardiff (2,182) and Newport, Newport (1,665).

Recent crashes on the A48

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A48, from 27 September to 29 December 2025.

Severity