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CrashStats

A720 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 2,319 collisions on the A720 from 1979 to 2025, with 3,267 casualties. Of those crashes, 37 were fatal and 413 serious, and 38 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 31 collisions on the A720, up 29% from 24 in 2024, with 45 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
2,319
506th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
3,267
1.41 per collision
Fatal collisions
37
38 people killed
Serious collisions
413
467 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
31
Up 29% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
45
Up 2% on 2024

Crash severity on the A720

On the A720, 1.6% of collisions were fatal and 18% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal371.6%
  • Serious41318%
  • Slight1,86981%

Where the A720 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
506th
Most casualties
492nd
Most fatal collisions
563rd
Most serious collisions
516th

A720 accidents by year

Collisions on the A720 peaked at 91 in 1980 and were down to 31 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A720, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 31
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20253145
20242444
20232845
20223146
20212544
20201926
20194064
20184470
20173759
20165585
20154979
201472104
20136196
20125982
20114249
20103852
20094158
20084873
20076387
20066188
20054262
20045273
20034870
20024155
20014775
20004054
19994265
19986187
19975579
19966186
19954149
19945276
19934456
19923659
19913758
19904769
19893750
19882830
19874458
19867283
198570113
19846681
19837192
19827487
19818599
198091120
19796785

When crashes happen on the A720

Friday has the most collisions on the A720 (395), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (629).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday331 (14%)
  • Tuesday328 (14%)
  • Wednesday337 (15%)
  • Thursday379 (16%)
  • Friday395 (17%)
  • Saturday278 (12%)
  • Sunday271 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am79 (3.4%)
  • 3am to 6am45 (1.9%)
  • 6am to 9am352 (15%)
  • 9am to noon311 (13%)
  • Noon to 3pm399 (17%)
  • 3pm to 6pm629 (27%)
  • 6pm to 9pm329 (14%)
  • 9pm to midnight175 (7.5%)

Collisions by month

  • January189 (8.2%)
  • February184 (7.9%)
  • March182 (7.8%)
  • April162 (7%)
  • May202 (8.7%)
  • June192 (8.3%)
  • July182 (7.8%)
  • August229 (9.9%)
  • September170 (7.3%)
  • October193 (8.3%)
  • November213 (9.2%)
  • December221 (9.5%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight1,643 (71%)
  • Dark, no street lighting343 (15%)
  • Dark, street lights lit314 (14%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit14 (0.6%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown5 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A720 crashes

On the A720, 54% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 70 mph and 60% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph3 (0.1%)
  • 30 mph568 (24%)
  • 40 mph149 (6.4%)
  • 50 mph204 (8.8%)
  • 60 mph149 (6.4%)
  • 70 mph1,246 (54%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds1,706 (74%)
  • Raining, no high winds365 (16%)
  • Fine with high winds87 (3.8%)
  • Raining with high winds49 (2.1%)
  • Other93 (4%)
  • Not recorded19 (0.8%)

Road surface

  • Dry1,397 (60%)
  • Wet or damp833 (36%)
  • Frost or ice51 (2.2%)
  • Snow27 (1.2%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep11 (0.5%)

Type of road

  • Dual carriageway1,375 (59%)
  • Single carriageway593 (26%)
  • Roundabout246 (11%)
  • One way street or slip road103 (4.4%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A720 crashes

Car occupants make up 69% of the people killed or injured on the A720, followed by pedestrians (8.9%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant2,241 (69%)
  • Pedestrian292 (8.9%)
  • Motorcyclist248 (7.6%)
  • Van occupant214 (6.6%)
  • Bus or coach occupant104 (3.2%)
  • Cyclist61 (1.9%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)47 (1.4%)
  • Other60 (1.8%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car3,462 (74%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes449 (9.6%)
  • Motorcycle244 (5.2%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes243 (5.2%)
  • Bus or coach102 (2.2%)
  • Pedal cycle62 (1.3%)
  • Other vehicle43 (0.9%)
  • Other54 (1.2%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 591 (2.8%)
  • 6 to 10108 (3.3%)
  • 11 to 15161 (4.9%)
  • 16 to 20380 (12%)
  • 21 to 25402 (12%)
  • 26 to 35700 (21%)
  • 36 to 45571 (17%)
  • 46 to 55418 (13%)
  • 56 to 65219 (6.7%)
  • 66 to 75143 (4.4%)
  • Over 7560 (1.8%)
  • Not recorded14 (0.4%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider1,934 (59%)
  • Passenger1,041 (32%)
  • Pedestrian292 (8.9%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A720

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A720

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

A720 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A720 were recorded in 3 council areas. City of Edinburgh has the most, with 2,031, followed by Midlothian (215) and East Lothian (68).

Collisions on the A720 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stCity of Edinburgh2,0312,87532378
2ndMidlothian215290524
3rdEast Lothian689509

A720 crashes by town

Of the 2,319 collisions on the A720, 766 were in the built-up area of Edinburgh.

Recent crashes on the A720

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A720, from 5 March to 18 December 2025.

Severity