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CrashStats

A597 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 495 collisions on the A597 from 1979 to 2025, with 674 casualties. Of those crashes, 5 were fatal and 75 serious, and 5 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 7 collisions on the A597, up 17% from 6 in 2024, with 7 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
495
1,990th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
674
1.36 per collision
Fatal collisions
5
5 people killed
Serious collisions
75
85 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
7
Up 17% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
7
Up 17% on 2024

Crash severity on the A597

On the A597, 1% of collisions were fatal and 15% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal51%
  • Serious7515%
  • Slight41584%

Where the A597 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
1,990th
Most casualties
1,976th
Most fatal collisions
2,545th
Most serious collisions
2,382nd

A597 accidents by year

Collisions on the A597 peaked at 23 in 2006 and were down to 7 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A597, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 7
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
202577
202466
202311
2022710
202155
202044
201978
2018915
201757
201668
20151011
2014813
2013711
20121423
2011811
20101212
20091318
20082229
20071518
20062331
20052336
20041621
20032235
20021923
20011527
20001320
19991320
19981924
19971421
199688
19951119
19941322
1993913
19921419
19911518
19901112
19891525
198844
198755
198647
198544
198433
198377
198278
198135
19801415
197955

When crashes happen on the A597

Friday has the most collisions on the A597 (91), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (148).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday73 (15%)
  • Tuesday69 (14%)
  • Wednesday72 (15%)
  • Thursday68 (14%)
  • Friday91 (18%)
  • Saturday81 (16%)
  • Sunday41 (8.3%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am17 (3.4%)
  • 3am to 6am11 (2.2%)
  • 6am to 9am27 (5.5%)
  • 9am to noon58 (12%)
  • Noon to 3pm123 (25%)
  • 3pm to 6pm148 (30%)
  • 6pm to 9pm74 (15%)
  • 9pm to midnight37 (7.5%)

Collisions by month

  • January43 (8.7%)
  • February39 (7.9%)
  • March36 (7.3%)
  • April39 (7.9%)
  • May41 (8.3%)
  • June34 (6.9%)
  • July41 (8.3%)
  • August37 (7.5%)
  • September43 (8.7%)
  • October47 (9.5%)
  • November46 (9.3%)
  • December49 (9.9%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight361 (73%)
  • Dark, street lights lit127 (26%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown3 (0.6%)
  • Dark, no street lighting3 (0.6%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit1 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A597 crashes

On the A597, 89% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 30 mph and 65% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph440 (89%)
  • 40 mph39 (7.9%)
  • 50 mph2 (0.4%)
  • 60 mph14 (2.8%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds363 (73%)
  • Raining, no high winds70 (14%)
  • Raining with high winds18 (3.6%)
  • Fine with high winds12 (2.4%)
  • Other15 (3%)
  • Not recorded17 (3.4%)

Road surface

  • Dry320 (65%)
  • Wet or damp166 (34%)
  • Frost or ice5 (1%)
  • Snow1 (0.2%)
  • Not recorded3 (0.6%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway438 (88%)
  • Roundabout37 (7.5%)
  • One way street or slip road13 (2.6%)
  • Dual carriageway5 (1%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A597 crashes

Car occupants make up 67% of the people killed or injured on the A597, followed by pedestrians (14%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant450 (67%)
  • Pedestrian97 (14%)
  • Motorcyclist55 (8.2%)
  • Cyclist27 (4%)
  • Van occupant19 (2.8%)
  • Bus or coach occupant13 (1.9%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant7 (1%)
  • Other6 (0.9%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car742 (80%)
  • Motorcycle61 (6.6%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes38 (4.1%)
  • Pedal cycle27 (2.9%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes22 (2.4%)
  • Taxi or private hire car13 (1.4%)
  • Other23 (2.5%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 511 (1.6%)
  • 6 to 1029 (4.3%)
  • 11 to 1539 (5.8%)
  • 16 to 20125 (19%)
  • 21 to 2581 (12%)
  • 26 to 35116 (17%)
  • 36 to 4590 (13%)
  • 46 to 5560 (8.9%)
  • 56 to 6550 (7.4%)
  • 66 to 7532 (4.7%)
  • Over 7533 (4.9%)
  • Not recorded8 (1.2%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider381 (57%)
  • Passenger196 (29%)
  • Pedestrian97 (14%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A597

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A597

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

A597 crashes by council area

Of the 495 collisions on the A597, 493 were in Cumberland.

Collisions on the A597 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stCumberland493671574

A597 crashes by town

Collisions on the A597 were recorded in 2 towns and built-up areas, led by Workington (364) and Distington (20).

Recent crashes on the A597

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A597, from 14 May 2021 to 5 September 2025.

Severity