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CrashStats

A78 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 3,934 collisions on the A78 from 1979 to 2025, with 5,741 casualties. Of those crashes, 116 were fatal and 1,036 serious, and 127 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 14 collisions on the A78, down 22% from 18 in 2024, with 19 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
3,934
279th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
5,741
1.46 per collision
Fatal collisions
116
127 people killed
Serious collisions
1,036
1,302 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
14
Down 22% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
19
Down 14% on 2024

Crash severity on the A78

On the A78, 2.9% of collisions were fatal and 26% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal1162.9%
  • Serious1,03626%
  • Slight2,78271%

Where the A78 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
279th
Most casualties
260th
Most fatal collisions
173rd
Most serious collisions
184th

A78 accidents by year

Collisions on the A78 peaked at 169 in 1979 and were down to 14 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A78, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 14
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20251419
20241822
20232026
20222440
20212642
20202227
20193257
20183342
20173959
20163660
20154370
20144971
20134964
20124653
20116681
20104665
20094965
20087291
20075786
20066398
20056079
200490124
200391119
200289114
200186129
200096134
199988131
199894150
1997136214
1996106169
1995114166
1994117192
1993132204
1992132223
1991125167
1990109175
1989121190
1988119169
1987126188
1986118176
1985163229
1984128180
1983103123
1982122183
1981147217
1980149219
1979169239

When crashes happen on the A78

Saturday has the most collisions on the A78 (641), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (1,012).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday549 (14%)
  • Tuesday531 (13%)
  • Wednesday527 (13%)
  • Thursday560 (14%)
  • Friday618 (16%)
  • Saturday641 (16%)
  • Sunday508 (13%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am207 (5.3%)
  • 3am to 6am66 (1.7%)
  • 6am to 9am419 (11%)
  • 9am to noon462 (12%)
  • Noon to 3pm694 (18%)
  • 3pm to 6pm1,012 (26%)
  • 6pm to 9pm651 (17%)
  • 9pm to midnight423 (11%)

Collisions by month

  • January281 (7.1%)
  • February304 (7.7%)
  • March298 (7.6%)
  • April294 (7.5%)
  • May326 (8.3%)
  • June310 (7.9%)
  • July333 (8.5%)
  • August423 (11%)
  • September334 (8.5%)
  • October338 (8.6%)
  • November329 (8.4%)
  • December364 (9.3%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight2,686 (68%)
  • Dark, street lights lit788 (20%)
  • Dark, no street lighting435 (11%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit13 (0.3%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown12 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A78 crashes

On the A78, 48% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 30 mph and 52% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph1,892 (48%)
  • 40 mph302 (7.7%)
  • 50 mph20 (0.5%)
  • 60 mph1,124 (29%)
  • 70 mph596 (15%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds2,715 (69%)
  • Raining, no high winds739 (19%)
  • Raining with high winds228 (5.8%)
  • Fine with high winds127 (3.2%)
  • Other115 (2.9%)
  • Not recorded10 (0.3%)

Road surface

  • Dry2,045 (52%)
  • Wet or damp1,707 (43%)
  • Frost or ice132 (3.4%)
  • Snow35 (0.9%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep15 (0.4%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway2,731 (69%)
  • Dual carriageway828 (21%)
  • Roundabout299 (7.6%)
  • One way street or slip road72 (1.8%)
  • Not recorded4 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A78 crashes

Car occupants make up 66% of the people killed or injured on the A78, followed by pedestrians (13%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant3,801 (66%)
  • Pedestrian767 (13%)
  • Motorcyclist466 (8.1%)
  • Cyclist227 (4%)
  • Bus or coach occupant168 (2.9%)
  • Van occupant131 (2.3%)
  • Other180 (3.1%)
  • Not recorded1 (under 0.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car5,349 (77%)
  • Motorcycle459 (6.6%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes264 (3.8%)
  • Pedal cycle234 (3.4%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes212 (3.1%)
  • Bus or coach186 (2.7%)
  • Taxi or private hire car93 (1.3%)
  • Other116 (1.7%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 5137 (2.4%)
  • 6 to 10196 (3.4%)
  • 11 to 15312 (5.4%)
  • 16 to 20985 (17%)
  • 21 to 25678 (12%)
  • 26 to 351,016 (18%)
  • 36 to 45784 (14%)
  • 46 to 55615 (11%)
  • 56 to 65446 (7.8%)
  • 66 to 75322 (5.6%)
  • Over 75250 (4.4%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider3,032 (53%)
  • Passenger1,942 (34%)
  • Pedestrian767 (13%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A78

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A78

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

A78 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A78 were recorded in 5 council areas. North Ayrshire has the most, with 2,454, followed by Inverclyde (1,228) and South Ayrshire (237).

Collisions on the A78 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stNorth Ayrshire2,4543,59875694
2ndInverclyde1,2281,78431279
3rdSouth Ayrshire2373381059
4thRenfrewshire5600
5thArgyll and Bute3701

A78 crashes by town

Collisions on the A78 were recorded in 12 towns and built-up areas, led by Greenock (421) and Largs (282).

Recent crashes on the A78

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A78, from 13 June 2024 to 10 December 2025.

Severity