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CrashStats

A540 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 3,062 collisions on the A540 from 1979 to 2025, with 4,460 casualties. Of those crashes, 78 were fatal and 544 serious, and 85 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 13 collisions on the A540, down 50% from 26 in 2024, with 19 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
3,062
378th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
4,460
1.46 per collision
Fatal collisions
78
85 people killed
Serious collisions
544
675 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
13
Down 50% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
19
Down 46% on 2024

Crash severity on the A540

On the A540, 2.5% of collisions were fatal and 18% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal782.5%
  • Serious54418%
  • Slight2,44080%

Where the A540 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
378th
Most casualties
340th
Most fatal collisions
272nd
Most serious collisions
379th

A540 accidents by year

Collisions on the A540 peaked at 116 in 1987 and were down to 13 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A540, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 13
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20251319
20242635
20232329
20222022
20212834
20203344
20192428
20183340
20172226
20164062
20153350
20143850
20134061
20123743
20115178
20104153
20094266
200870107
200765100
20066793
200570111
200474110
200369108
20026785
200193137
200079136
199980125
1998102140
199786132
199677128
199589136
199481127
199386140
199283123
199178109
199094146
1989105174
1988103141
1987116161
198695142
198579107
198478117
198387126
198285125
198183106
198083110
197994118

When crashes happen on the A540

Friday has the most collisions on the A540 (490), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (768).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday434 (14%)
  • Tuesday481 (16%)
  • Wednesday446 (15%)
  • Thursday443 (14%)
  • Friday490 (16%)
  • Saturday428 (14%)
  • Sunday340 (11%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am111 (3.6%)
  • 3am to 6am41 (1.3%)
  • 6am to 9am372 (12%)
  • 9am to noon492 (16%)
  • Noon to 3pm578 (19%)
  • 3pm to 6pm768 (25%)
  • 6pm to 9pm407 (13%)
  • 9pm to midnight293 (9.6%)

Collisions by month

  • January264 (8.6%)
  • February215 (7%)
  • March238 (7.8%)
  • April218 (7.1%)
  • May269 (8.8%)
  • June254 (8.3%)
  • July268 (8.8%)
  • August236 (7.7%)
  • September264 (8.6%)
  • October274 (8.9%)
  • November301 (9.8%)
  • December261 (8.5%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight2,245 (73%)
  • Dark, street lights lit561 (18%)
  • Dark, no street lighting190 (6.2%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit49 (1.6%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown17 (0.6%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A540 crashes

On the A540, 37% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 30 mph and 64% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph10 (0.3%)
  • 30 mph1,126 (37%)
  • 40 mph356 (12%)
  • 50 mph395 (13%)
  • 60 mph737 (24%)
  • 70 mph438 (14%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds2,419 (79%)
  • Raining, no high winds408 (13%)
  • Fine with high winds39 (1.3%)
  • Raining with high winds36 (1.2%)
  • Other128 (4.2%)
  • Not recorded32 (1%)

Road surface

  • Dry1,966 (64%)
  • Wet or damp1,037 (34%)
  • Frost or ice43 (1.4%)
  • Snow10 (0.3%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep4 (0.1%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway2,146 (70%)
  • Dual carriageway663 (22%)
  • Roundabout210 (6.9%)
  • One way street or slip road36 (1.2%)
  • Not recorded7 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A540 crashes

Car occupants make up 71% of the people killed or injured on the A540, followed by motorcyclists (9.7%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant3,183 (71%)
  • Motorcyclist432 (9.7%)
  • Cyclist356 (8%)
  • Pedestrian293 (6.6%)
  • Van occupant86 (1.9%)
  • Bus or coach occupant37 (0.8%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)23 (0.5%)
  • Other50 (1.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car4,606 (78%)
  • Motorcycle422 (7.1%)
  • Pedal cycle363 (6.1%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes190 (3.2%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes147 (2.5%)
  • Bus or coach81 (1.4%)
  • Other89 (1.5%)
  • Not recorded5 (0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 564 (1.4%)
  • 6 to 1079 (1.8%)
  • 11 to 15175 (3.9%)
  • 16 to 20759 (17%)
  • 21 to 25596 (13%)
  • 26 to 35746 (17%)
  • 36 to 45637 (14%)
  • 46 to 55505 (11%)
  • 56 to 65374 (8.4%)
  • 66 to 75273 (6.1%)
  • Over 75244 (5.5%)
  • Not recorded8 (0.2%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider2,923 (66%)
  • Passenger1,244 (28%)
  • Pedestrian293 (6.6%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A540

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A540

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

A540 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A540 were recorded in 3 council areas. Cheshire West and Chester has the most, with 1,848, followed by Wirral (1,204) and West Lancashire (3).

Collisions on the A540 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stCheshire West and Chester1,8482,69556315
2ndWirral1,2041,75122228
3rdWest Lancashire3500

A540 crashes by town

Collisions on the A540 were recorded in 8 towns and built-up areas, led by Heswall (527) and West Kirby (310).

Recent crashes on the A540

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A540, from 18 June 2024 to 23 September 2025.

Severity