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CrashStats

A51 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 8,270 collisions on the A51 from 1979 to 2025, with 12,148 casualties. Of those crashes, 203 were fatal and 1,272 serious, and 221 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 71 collisions on the A51, up 22% from 58 in 2024, with 102 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
8,270
104th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
12,148
1.47 per collision
Fatal collisions
203
221 people killed
Serious collisions
1,272
1,601 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
71
Up 22% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
102
Up 15% on 2024

Crash severity on the A51

On the A51, 2.5% of collisions were fatal and 15% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal2032.5%
  • Serious1,27215%
  • Slight6,79582%

Where the A51 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
104th
Most casualties
97th
Most fatal collisions
89th
Most serious collisions
145th

A51 accidents by year

Collisions on the A51 peaked at 262 in 1998 and were down to 71 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A51, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 71
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
202571102
20245889
20234761
20224259
20214972
20204047
20194657
201874117
201779105
2016107145
2015103166
2014120166
2013129178
2012134203
2011134204
2010156230
2009144229
2008193290
2007171235
2006193303
2005195274
2004186263
2003207317
2002207321
2001226343
2000211306
1999226322
1998262397
1997249361
1996259402
1995231337
1994243347
1993239344
1992248365
1991234327
1990252383
1989225325
1988234328
1987247361
1986213325
1985233331
1984241326
1983234313
1982218338
1981226347
1980218382
1979216305

When crashes happen on the A51

Friday has the most collisions on the A51 (1,492), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (1,987).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday1,088 (13%)
  • Tuesday1,080 (13%)
  • Wednesday1,151 (14%)
  • Thursday1,233 (15%)
  • Friday1,492 (18%)
  • Saturday1,192 (14%)
  • Sunday1,034 (13%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am277 (3.3%)
  • 3am to 6am122 (1.5%)
  • 6am to 9am1,128 (14%)
  • 9am to noon1,289 (16%)
  • Noon to 3pm1,460 (18%)
  • 3pm to 6pm1,987 (24%)
  • 6pm to 9pm1,204 (15%)
  • 9pm to midnight803 (9.7%)

Collisions by month

  • January667 (8.1%)
  • February594 (7.2%)
  • March682 (8.2%)
  • April701 (8.5%)
  • May675 (8.2%)
  • June665 (8%)
  • July685 (8.3%)
  • August707 (8.5%)
  • September717 (8.7%)
  • October763 (9.2%)
  • November718 (8.7%)
  • December696 (8.4%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight5,975 (72%)
  • Dark, street lights lit1,408 (17%)
  • Dark, no street lighting733 (8.9%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit94 (1.1%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown60 (0.7%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A51 crashes

On the A51, 38% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 60 mph and 62% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph2 (under 0.1%)
  • 30 mph2,788 (34%)
  • 40 mph1,739 (21%)
  • 50 mph237 (2.9%)
  • 60 mph3,178 (38%)
  • 70 mph324 (3.9%)
  • Not recorded2 (under 0.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds6,390 (77%)
  • Raining, no high winds1,184 (14%)
  • Fine with high winds145 (1.8%)
  • Raining with high winds99 (1.2%)
  • Other386 (4.7%)
  • Not recorded66 (0.8%)

Road surface

  • Dry5,129 (62%)
  • Wet or damp2,874 (35%)
  • Frost or ice158 (1.9%)
  • Snow59 (0.7%)
  • Other38 (0.5%)
  • Not recorded12 (0.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway6,183 (75%)
  • Dual carriageway1,087 (13%)
  • Roundabout876 (11%)
  • One way street or slip road110 (1.3%)
  • Not recorded14 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A51 crashes

Car occupants make up 69% of the people killed or injured on the A51, followed by motorcyclists (11%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant8,391 (69%)
  • Motorcyclist1,365 (11%)
  • Pedestrian867 (7.1%)
  • Cyclist619 (5.1%)
  • Van occupant333 (2.7%)
  • Bus or coach occupant207 (1.7%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)149 (1.2%)
  • Other217 (1.8%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car11,966 (75%)
  • Motorcycle1,346 (8.5%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes747 (4.7%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes729 (4.6%)
  • Pedal cycle632 (4%)
  • Bus or coach171 (1.1%)
  • Other331 (2.1%)
  • Not recorded5 (under 0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 5171 (1.4%)
  • 6 to 10381 (3.1%)
  • 11 to 15582 (4.8%)
  • 16 to 202,129 (18%)
  • 21 to 251,619 (13%)
  • 26 to 352,361 (19%)
  • 36 to 451,665 (14%)
  • 46 to 551,350 (11%)
  • 56 to 65907 (7.5%)
  • 66 to 75574 (4.7%)
  • Over 75293 (2.4%)
  • Not recorded116 (1%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider7,636 (63%)
  • Passenger3,645 (30%)
  • Pedestrian867 (7.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A51

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A51

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

A51 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A51 were recorded in 11 council areas. Cheshire West and Chester has the most, with 1,611, followed by Tamworth (1,479) and Cheshire East (1,370).

Collisions on the A51 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stCheshire West and Chester1,6112,39438259
2ndTamworth1,4792,07116156
3rdCheshire East1,3702,05142244
4thLichfield1,2901,93631171
5thStafford1,1611,76845182
6thCannock Chase73398013104
7thNorth Warwickshire281405584
8thNewcastle-under-Lyme230379845
9thShropshire75104223
10thSouth Staffordshire112320
11thEast Staffordshire6712

A51 crashes by town

Collisions on the A51 were recorded in 10 towns and built-up areas, led by Tamworth (964) and Rugeley (732).

Recent crashes on the A51

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A51, from 28 August to 31 December 2025.

Severity