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CrashStats

A53 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 6,197 collisions on the A53 from 1979 to 2025, with 9,268 casualties. Of those crashes, 171 were fatal and 993 serious, and 190 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 65 collisions on the A53, up 33% from 49 in 2024, with 104 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
6,197
151st highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
9,268
1.50 per collision
Fatal collisions
171
190 people killed
Serious collisions
993
1,324 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
65
Up 33% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
104
Up 27% on 2024

Crash severity on the A53

On the A53, 2.8% of collisions were fatal and 16% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal1712.8%
  • Serious99316%
  • Slight5,03381%

Where the A53 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
151st
Most casualties
145th
Most fatal collisions
115th
Most serious collisions
191st

A53 accidents by year

Collisions on the A53 peaked at 226 in 1990 and were down to 65 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A53, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 65
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
202565104
20244982
20233149
20223454
20213337
20203661
20195070
20185879
201777110
201691148
201592141
2014102144
2013117153
201293133
201189137
2010109165
2009121179
2008124159
2007127179
2006147232
2005119178
2004148220
2003159226
2002156244
2001176254
2000176246
1999178263
1998189297
1997180286
1996169277
1995168262
1994209320
1993203300
1992175298
1991195282
1990226341
1989194261
1988137202
1987163253
1986164251
1985156263
1984161238
1983151216
1982140219
1981141203
1980150222
1979169230

When crashes happen on the A53

Friday has the most collisions on the A53 (1,026), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (1,453).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday887 (14%)
  • Tuesday874 (14%)
  • Wednesday849 (14%)
  • Thursday873 (14%)
  • Friday1,026 (17%)
  • Saturday942 (15%)
  • Sunday746 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am297 (4.8%)
  • 3am to 6am121 (2%)
  • 6am to 9am742 (12%)
  • 9am to noon860 (14%)
  • Noon to 3pm1,143 (18%)
  • 3pm to 6pm1,453 (23%)
  • 6pm to 9pm913 (15%)
  • 9pm to midnight668 (11%)

Collisions by month

  • January492 (7.9%)
  • February497 (8%)
  • March486 (7.8%)
  • April515 (8.3%)
  • May481 (7.8%)
  • June505 (8.1%)
  • July544 (8.8%)
  • August513 (8.3%)
  • September533 (8.6%)
  • October562 (9.1%)
  • November549 (8.9%)
  • December520 (8.4%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight4,305 (69%)
  • Dark, street lights lit1,186 (19%)
  • Dark, no street lighting621 (10%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown51 (0.8%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit34 (0.5%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A53 crashes

On the A53, 50% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 30 mph and 57% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 10 mph1 (under 0.1%)
  • 30 mph3,082 (50%)
  • 40 mph763 (12%)
  • 50 mph198 (3.2%)
  • 60 mph2,038 (33%)
  • 70 mph114 (1.8%)
  • Not recorded1 (under 0.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds4,560 (74%)
  • Raining, no high winds1,020 (16%)
  • Fine with high winds124 (2%)
  • Raining with high winds111 (1.8%)
  • Other333 (5.4%)
  • Not recorded49 (0.8%)

Road surface

  • Dry3,547 (57%)
  • Wet or damp2,370 (38%)
  • Frost or ice159 (2.6%)
  • Snow83 (1.3%)
  • Other25 (0.4%)
  • Not recorded13 (0.2%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway5,368 (87%)
  • Roundabout390 (6.3%)
  • Dual carriageway349 (5.6%)
  • One way street or slip road53 (0.9%)
  • Not recorded37 (0.6%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A53 crashes

Car occupants make up 72% of the people killed or injured on the A53, followed by motorcyclists (9.5%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant6,701 (72%)
  • Motorcyclist876 (9.5%)
  • Pedestrian658 (7.1%)
  • Cyclist330 (3.6%)
  • Van occupant241 (2.6%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)144 (1.6%)
  • Bus or coach occupant137 (1.5%)
  • Other181 (2%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car9,185 (76%)
  • Motorcycle860 (7.1%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes632 (5.2%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes548 (4.5%)
  • Pedal cycle342 (2.8%)
  • Other vehicle174 (1.4%)
  • Other322 (2.7%)
  • Not recorded3 (under 0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 5148 (1.6%)
  • 6 to 10227 (2.4%)
  • 11 to 15381 (4.1%)
  • 16 to 201,759 (19%)
  • 21 to 251,396 (15%)
  • 26 to 351,741 (19%)
  • 36 to 451,261 (14%)
  • 46 to 55960 (10%)
  • 56 to 65608 (6.6%)
  • 66 to 75368 (4%)
  • Over 75264 (2.8%)
  • Not recorded155 (1.7%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider5,721 (62%)
  • Passenger2,889 (31%)
  • Pedestrian658 (7.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A53

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A53

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

A53 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A53 were recorded in 7 council areas. Stoke-on-Trent has the most, with 1,650, followed by Staffordshire Moorlands (1,600) and Newcastle-under-Lyme (1,514).

Collisions on the A53 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stStoke-on-Trent1,6502,30724180
2ndStaffordshire Moorlands1,6002,43053267
3rdNewcastle-under-Lyme1,5142,32040214
4thShropshire9041,43842228
5thHigh Peak392573874
6thStafford114173424
7thWirral5601

A53 crashes by town

Collisions on the A53 were recorded in 7 towns and built-up areas, led by Stoke-on-Trent (1,507) and Leek (573).

Recent crashes on the A53

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A53, from 8 September to 25 December 2025.

Severity