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CrashStats

A538 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 2,450 collisions on the A538 from 1979 to 2025, with 3,308 casualties. Of those crashes, 30 were fatal and 356 serious, and 31 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 12 collisions on the A538, down 48% from 23 in 2024, with 16 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
2,450
475th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
3,308
1.35 per collision
Fatal collisions
30
31 people killed
Serious collisions
356
413 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
12
Down 48% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
16
Down 43% on 2024

Crash severity on the A538

On the A538, 1.2% of collisions were fatal and 15% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal301.2%
  • Serious35615%
  • Slight2,06484%

Where the A538 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
475th
Most casualties
486th
Most fatal collisions
680th
Most serious collisions
607th

A538 accidents by year

Collisions on the A538 peaked at 95 in 1997 and were down to 12 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A538, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 12
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20251216
20242328
20232535
20221525
20212429
20201823
20191620
20182230
20172528
20162432
20151823
20142536
20133451
20123247
20113138
20102835
20095375
20083144
20073035
20064066
20056380
20043848
20035176
20025680
20015579
200084113
199984118
19986489
199795138
199683127
19957693
199476107
199383113
199279119
19914869
19907489
198994125
19886889
19877598
19868196
198589112
19848099
19836987
198280105
19815769
19806691
19795683

When crashes happen on the A538

Thursday has the most collisions on the A538 (395), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (569).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday329 (13%)
  • Tuesday366 (15%)
  • Wednesday352 (14%)
  • Thursday395 (16%)
  • Friday390 (16%)
  • Saturday378 (15%)
  • Sunday240 (9.8%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am116 (4.7%)
  • 3am to 6am27 (1.1%)
  • 6am to 9am340 (14%)
  • 9am to noon367 (15%)
  • Noon to 3pm458 (19%)
  • 3pm to 6pm569 (23%)
  • 6pm to 9pm340 (14%)
  • 9pm to midnight233 (9.5%)

Collisions by month

  • January191 (7.8%)
  • February168 (6.9%)
  • March200 (8.2%)
  • April196 (8%)
  • May182 (7.4%)
  • June211 (8.6%)
  • July211 (8.6%)
  • August207 (8.4%)
  • September219 (8.9%)
  • October240 (9.8%)
  • November235 (9.6%)
  • December190 (7.8%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight1,798 (73%)
  • Dark, street lights lit470 (19%)
  • Dark, no street lighting136 (5.6%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit29 (1.2%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown17 (0.7%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A538 crashes

On the A538, 64% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 30 mph and 56% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph9 (0.4%)
  • 30 mph1,558 (64%)
  • 40 mph223 (9.1%)
  • 50 mph89 (3.6%)
  • 60 mph504 (21%)
  • 70 mph67 (2.7%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds1,820 (74%)
  • Raining, no high winds433 (18%)
  • Raining with high winds39 (1.6%)
  • Fine with high winds36 (1.5%)
  • Other81 (3.3%)
  • Not recorded41 (1.7%)

Road surface

  • Dry1,375 (56%)
  • Wet or damp1,008 (41%)
  • Frost or ice40 (1.6%)
  • Snow18 (0.7%)
  • Other4 (0.2%)
  • Not recorded5 (0.2%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway2,220 (91%)
  • Dual carriageway113 (4.6%)
  • Roundabout81 (3.3%)
  • One way street or slip road12 (0.5%)
  • Not recorded24 (1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A538 crashes

Car occupants make up 66% of the people killed or injured on the A538, followed by pedestrians (12%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant2,171 (66%)
  • Pedestrian383 (12%)
  • Cyclist277 (8.4%)
  • Motorcyclist260 (7.9%)
  • Van occupant93 (2.8%)
  • Bus or coach occupant58 (1.8%)
  • Other65 (2%)
  • Not recorded1 (under 0.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car3,626 (78%)
  • Pedal cycle290 (6.2%)
  • Motorcycle264 (5.7%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes189 (4.1%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes116 (2.5%)
  • Bus or coach76 (1.6%)
  • Taxi or private hire car36 (0.8%)
  • Other55 (1.2%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 541 (1.2%)
  • 6 to 1080 (2.4%)
  • 11 to 15196 (5.9%)
  • 16 to 20549 (17%)
  • 21 to 25455 (14%)
  • 26 to 35632 (19%)
  • 36 to 45467 (14%)
  • 46 to 55348 (11%)
  • 56 to 65219 (6.6%)
  • 66 to 75168 (5.1%)
  • Over 75150 (4.5%)
  • Not recorded3 (0.1%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider2,125 (64%)
  • Passenger800 (24%)
  • Pedestrian383 (12%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A538

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A538

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

A538 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A538 were recorded in 4 council areas. Cheshire East has the most, with 1,365, followed by Trafford (914) and Manchester (165).

Collisions on the A538 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stCheshire East1,3651,88412225
2ndTrafford9141,16411104
3rdManchester165254727
4thStockport3300

A538 crashes by town

Collisions on the A538 were recorded in 9 towns and built-up areas, led by Hale, Trafford (533) and Altrincham (414).

Recent crashes on the A538

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A538, from 4 July 2024 to 21 December 2025.

Severity