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CrashStats

A638 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 12,737 collisions on the A638 from 1979 to 2025, with 18,314 casualties. Of those crashes, 263 were fatal and 2,188 serious, and 279 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 133 collisions on the A638, up 11% from 120 in 2024, with 183 casualties.

Live A638 closures, incidents and roadworks are checked every 5 minutes.

Collisions since 1979
12,737
55th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
18,314
1.44 per collision
Fatal collisions
263
279 people killed
Serious collisions
2,188
2,622 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
133
Up 11% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
183
Up 21% on 2024

Crash severity on the A638

On the A638, 2.1% of collisions were fatal and 17% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal2632.1%
  • Serious2,18817%
  • Slight10,28681%

Where the A638 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
55th
Most casualties
53rd
Most fatal collisions
65th
Most serious collisions
59th

A638 accidents by year

Collisions on the A638 peaked at 387 in 1989 and were down to 133 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A638, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 133
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025133183
2024120151
2023122163
2022116161
202198128
202095125
2019111150
2018157219
2017133184
2016169282
2015167242
2014177251
2013167254
2012231388
2011213314
2010234350
2009241394
2008280409
2007287453
2006298436
2005319514
2004318496
2003286419
2002313503
2001349544
2000349548
1999331491
1998351551
1997329552
1996338487
1995366534
1994330484
1993371507
1992353493
1991349478
1990326436
1989387496
1988364486
1987318446
1986362493
1985323438
1984349483
1983315387
1982369468
1981334446
1980355459
1979334438

When crashes happen on the A638

Friday has the most collisions on the A638 (2,232), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (3,069).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday1,742 (14%)
  • Tuesday1,750 (14%)
  • Wednesday1,800 (14%)
  • Thursday1,911 (15%)
  • Friday2,232 (18%)
  • Saturday1,812 (14%)
  • Sunday1,490 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am472 (3.7%)
  • 3am to 6am235 (1.8%)
  • 6am to 9am1,505 (12%)
  • 9am to noon1,746 (14%)
  • Noon to 3pm2,427 (19%)
  • 3pm to 6pm3,069 (24%)
  • 6pm to 9pm1,954 (15%)
  • 9pm to midnight1,329 (10%)

Collisions by month

  • January1,003 (7.9%)
  • February976 (7.7%)
  • March1,037 (8.1%)
  • April1,015 (8%)
  • May1,011 (7.9%)
  • June1,013 (8%)
  • July993 (7.8%)
  • August996 (7.8%)
  • September1,014 (8%)
  • October1,200 (9.4%)
  • November1,221 (9.6%)
  • December1,258 (9.9%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight8,769 (69%)
  • Dark, street lights lit3,388 (27%)
  • Dark, no street lighting409 (3.2%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown139 (1.1%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit32 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A638 crashes

On the A638, 50% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 30 mph and 63% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph12 (0.1%)
  • 30 mph6,397 (50%)
  • 40 mph3,611 (28%)
  • 50 mph624 (4.9%)
  • 60 mph1,879 (15%)
  • 70 mph214 (1.7%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds10,326 (81%)
  • Raining, no high winds1,645 (13%)
  • Fine with high winds189 (1.5%)
  • Raining with high winds128 (1%)
  • Other383 (3%)
  • Not recorded66 (0.5%)

Road surface

  • Dry8,061 (63%)
  • Wet or damp4,392 (34%)
  • Frost or ice182 (1.4%)
  • Snow70 (0.5%)
  • Other12 (0.1%)
  • Not recorded20 (0.2%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway8,318 (65%)
  • Dual carriageway3,241 (25%)
  • Roundabout1,044 (8.2%)
  • One way street or slip road107 (0.8%)
  • Not recorded27 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A638 crashes

Car occupants make up 63% of the people killed or injured on the A638, followed by pedestrians (12%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant11,482 (63%)
  • Pedestrian2,143 (12%)
  • Motorcyclist2,011 (11%)
  • Cyclist1,046 (5.7%)
  • Bus or coach occupant714 (3.9%)
  • Van occupant420 (2.3%)
  • Other496 (2.7%)
  • Not recorded2 (under 0.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car17,374 (74%)
  • Motorcycle2,014 (8.5%)
  • Pedal cycle1,072 (4.5%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes1,048 (4.4%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes867 (3.7%)
  • Bus or coach713 (3%)
  • Other486 (2.1%)
  • Not recorded4 (under 0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 5315 (1.7%)
  • 6 to 10533 (2.9%)
  • 11 to 15971 (5.3%)
  • 16 to 203,305 (18%)
  • 21 to 252,546 (14%)
  • 26 to 353,506 (19%)
  • 36 to 452,621 (14%)
  • 46 to 551,932 (11%)
  • 56 to 651,211 (6.6%)
  • 66 to 75713 (3.9%)
  • Over 75532 (2.9%)
  • Not recorded129 (0.7%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider10,696 (58%)
  • Passenger5,475 (30%)
  • Pedestrian2,143 (12%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A638

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A638

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

A638 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A638 were recorded in 6 council areas. Wakefield has the most, with 4,130, followed by Doncaster (3,867) and Kirklees (3,190).

Collisions on the A638 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stWakefield4,1306,13486793
2ndDoncaster3,8675,51688581
3rdKirklees3,1904,47744473
4thBassetlaw1,2941,83937296
5thBradford219294741
6thBarnsley131701

A638 crashes by town

Collisions on the A638 were recorded in 21 towns and built-up areas, led by Wakefield (2,142) and Dewsbury (1,453).

Recent crashes on the A638

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A638, from 25 October to 26 December 2025.

Severity