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CrashStats

A488 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 1,311 collisions on the A488 from 1979 to 2025, with 1,883 casualties. Of those crashes, 33 were fatal and 353 serious, and 36 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 10 collisions on the A488, down 23% from 13 in 2024, with 11 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
1,311
846th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
1,883
1.44 per collision
Fatal collisions
33
36 people killed
Serious collisions
353
436 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
10
Down 23% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
11
Down 35% on 2024

Crash severity on the A488

On the A488, 2.5% of collisions were fatal and 27% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal332.5%
  • Serious35327%
  • Slight92571%

Where the A488 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
846th
Most casualties
793rd
Most fatal collisions
619th
Most serious collisions
616th

A488 accidents by year

Collisions on the A488 peaked at 47 in 1997 and were down to 10 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A488, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 10
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20251011
20241317
202379
20221414
20212029
20201419
20192436
20181823
20171520
20163045
20152333
20142534
20132842
20123139
20112738
20102732
20092638
20082735
20072636
20063346
20053350
20042433
20032730
20022844
20012936
20003556
19993453
19984564
19974758
19962545
19953450
19942531
19931829
19923042
19912432
19903643
19891929
19884377
19873548
19862847
19853865
19843759
19833548
19823857
19813355
19803544
19793862

When crashes happen on the A488

Friday has the most collisions on the A488 (222), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (316).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday156 (12%)
  • Tuesday182 (14%)
  • Wednesday149 (11%)
  • Thursday193 (15%)
  • Friday222 (17%)
  • Saturday214 (16%)
  • Sunday195 (15%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am79 (6%)
  • 3am to 6am22 (1.7%)
  • 6am to 9am149 (11%)
  • 9am to noon189 (14%)
  • Noon to 3pm235 (18%)
  • 3pm to 6pm316 (24%)
  • 6pm to 9pm185 (14%)
  • 9pm to midnight136 (10%)

Collisions by month

  • January87 (6.6%)
  • February107 (8.2%)
  • March86 (6.6%)
  • April100 (7.6%)
  • May128 (9.8%)
  • June103 (7.9%)
  • July128 (9.8%)
  • August122 (9.3%)
  • September118 (9%)
  • October118 (9%)
  • November114 (8.7%)
  • December100 (7.6%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight923 (70%)
  • Dark, no street lighting210 (16%)
  • Dark, street lights lit163 (12%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown9 (0.7%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit6 (0.5%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A488 crashes

On the A488, 56% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 60 mph and 59% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 10 mph1 (0.1%)
  • 20 mph2 (0.2%)
  • 30 mph473 (36%)
  • 40 mph58 (4.4%)
  • 50 mph3 (0.2%)
  • 60 mph737 (56%)
  • 70 mph37 (2.8%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds1,002 (76%)
  • Raining, no high winds194 (15%)
  • Fine with high winds26 (2%)
  • Snowing, no high winds22 (1.7%)
  • Other65 (5%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.2%)

Road surface

  • Dry776 (59%)
  • Wet or damp464 (35%)
  • Frost or ice35 (2.7%)
  • Snow25 (1.9%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep10 (0.8%)
  • Oil or diesel1 (0.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway1,225 (93%)
  • Roundabout44 (3.4%)
  • One way street or slip road19 (1.4%)
  • Dual carriageway18 (1.4%)
  • Not recorded5 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A488 crashes

Car occupants make up 65% of the people killed or injured on the A488, followed by motorcyclists (13%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant1,225 (65%)
  • Motorcyclist244 (13%)
  • Pedestrian146 (7.8%)
  • Cyclist110 (5.8%)
  • Van occupant71 (3.8%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)35 (1.9%)
  • Minibus occupant24 (1.3%)
  • Other28 (1.5%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car1,531 (69%)
  • Motorcycle236 (11%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes134 (6.1%)
  • Pedal cycle113 (5.1%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes97 (4.4%)
  • Bus or coach41 (1.9%)
  • Other vehicle26 (1.2%)
  • Other32 (1.4%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 525 (1.3%)
  • 6 to 1031 (1.6%)
  • 11 to 15105 (5.6%)
  • 16 to 20420 (22%)
  • 21 to 25231 (12%)
  • 26 to 35300 (16%)
  • 36 to 45225 (12%)
  • 46 to 55205 (11%)
  • 56 to 65158 (8.4%)
  • 66 to 75115 (6.1%)
  • Over 7568 (3.6%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider1,201 (64%)
  • Passenger536 (28%)
  • Pedestrian146 (7.8%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A488

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A488

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

A488 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A488 were recorded in 2 council areas. Shropshire has the most, with 1,070, followed by Powys (238).

Collisions on the A488 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stShropshire1,0701,54225274
2ndPowys238335878

A488 crashes by town

Collisions on the A488 were recorded in 2 towns and built-up areas, led by Shrewsbury (270) and Knighton (35).

Recent crashes on the A488

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A488, from 5 November 2023 to 12 December 2025.

Severity