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CrashStats

A685 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 771 collisions on the A685 from 1979 to 2025, with 1,187 casualties. Of those crashes, 20 were fatal and 198 serious, and 20 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 6 collisions on the A685, down 45% from 11 in 2024, with 7 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
771
1,385th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
1,187
1.54 per collision
Fatal collisions
20
20 people killed
Serious collisions
198
275 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
6
Down 45% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
7
Down 46% on 2024

Crash severity on the A685

On the A685, 2.6% of collisions were fatal and 26% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal202.6%
  • Serious19826%
  • Slight55372%

Where the A685 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
1,385th
Most casualties
1,225th
Most fatal collisions
983rd
Most serious collisions
1,052nd

A685 accidents by year

Collisions on the A685 peaked at 33 in 1999 and were down to 6 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A685, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 6
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
202567
20241113
202389
2022612
2021913
202055
20191015
2018910
20171527
20161520
20151020
201457
20131243
201256
20111520
20101115
20091822
20081320
20071727
20062039
20052449
20042743
20031827
20022135
20011323
20001829
19993353
19982740
19972127
19962542
19952429
19941826
19931726
19921216
19912340
19902639
19892133
19882634
19871214
19862025
19852443
19841931
19831620
1982912
19811924
19801522
19792335

When crashes happen on the A685

Saturday has the most collisions on the A685 (122), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (191).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday120 (16%)
  • Tuesday105 (14%)
  • Wednesday104 (13%)
  • Thursday86 (11%)
  • Friday116 (15%)
  • Saturday122 (16%)
  • Sunday118 (15%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am32 (4.2%)
  • 3am to 6am13 (1.7%)
  • 6am to 9am94 (12%)
  • 9am to noon120 (16%)
  • Noon to 3pm153 (20%)
  • 3pm to 6pm191 (25%)
  • 6pm to 9pm99 (13%)
  • 9pm to midnight69 (8.9%)

Collisions by month

  • January63 (8.2%)
  • February50 (6.5%)
  • March53 (6.9%)
  • April48 (6.2%)
  • May61 (7.9%)
  • June67 (8.7%)
  • July71 (9.2%)
  • August71 (9.2%)
  • September66 (8.6%)
  • October63 (8.2%)
  • November72 (9.3%)
  • December86 (11%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight562 (73%)
  • Dark, no street lighting164 (21%)
  • Dark, street lights lit40 (5.2%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit4 (0.5%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown1 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A685 crashes

On the A685, 66% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 60 mph and 53% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph1 (0.1%)
  • 30 mph222 (29%)
  • 40 mph16 (2.1%)
  • 50 mph1 (0.1%)
  • 60 mph507 (66%)
  • 70 mph24 (3.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds547 (71%)
  • Raining, no high winds120 (16%)
  • Raining with high winds26 (3.4%)
  • Fine with high winds16 (2.1%)
  • Other48 (6.2%)
  • Not recorded14 (1.8%)

Road surface

  • Dry412 (53%)
  • Wet or damp295 (38%)
  • Frost or ice42 (5.4%)
  • Snow14 (1.8%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep7 (0.9%)
  • Oil or diesel1 (0.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway744 (96%)
  • Roundabout12 (1.6%)
  • One way street or slip road7 (0.9%)
  • Dual carriageway6 (0.8%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A685 crashes

Car occupants make up 69% of the people killed or injured on the A685, followed by motorcyclists (8.9%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant819 (69%)
  • Motorcyclist106 (8.9%)
  • Pedestrian87 (7.3%)
  • Van occupant48 (4%)
  • Bus or coach occupant42 (3.5%)
  • Cyclist35 (2.9%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)24 (2%)
  • Other26 (2.2%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car976 (74%)
  • Motorcycle103 (7.8%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes88 (6.7%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes69 (5.2%)
  • Pedal cycle36 (2.7%)
  • Bus or coach20 (1.5%)
  • Other vehicle15 (1.1%)
  • Other14 (1.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 525 (2.1%)
  • 6 to 1033 (2.8%)
  • 11 to 1574 (6.2%)
  • 16 to 20216 (18%)
  • 21 to 25138 (12%)
  • 26 to 35199 (17%)
  • 36 to 45177 (15%)
  • 46 to 55135 (11%)
  • 56 to 6589 (7.5%)
  • 66 to 7562 (5.2%)
  • Over 7536 (3%)
  • Not recorded3 (0.3%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider686 (58%)
  • Passenger414 (35%)
  • Pedestrian87 (7.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A685

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A685

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

A685 crashes by council area

Of the 771 collisions on the A685, 764 were in Westmorland and Furness.

Collisions on the A685 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stWestmorland and Furness7641,17420197

A685 crashes by town

Collisions on the A685 were recorded in 2 towns and built-up areas, led by Kendal (94) and Kirkby Stephen (73).

Recent crashes on the A685

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A685, from 20 March 2023 to 9 December 2025.

Severity