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CrashStats

A965 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 310 collisions on the A965 from 1979 to 2025, with 472 casualties. Of those crashes, 24 were fatal and 98 serious, and 30 people were killed.

In 2025 there was 1 collision on the A965, level with 2024, with 1 casualty.

Collisions since 1979
310
2,641st highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
472
1.52 per collision
Fatal collisions
24
30 people killed
Serious collisions
98
128 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
1
Level with 2024
Casualties in 2025
1
Down 50% on 2024

Crash severity on the A965

On the A965, 7.7% of collisions were fatal and 32% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal247.7%
  • Serious9832%
  • Slight18861%

Where the A965 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
2,641st
Most casualties
2,485th
Most fatal collisions
836th
Most serious collisions
1,948th

A965 accidents by year

Collisions on the A965 peaked at 13 in 1985 and were down to 1 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A965, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 1
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
202511
202412
202345
202247
202123
202022
201957
201823
201712
201667
201535
201436
201336
201248
201149
2010710
2009814
200867
200744
2006712
2005919
20041116
20031015
2002813
2001710
200022
19991220
19981012
1997912
199666
1995910
199468
1993912
199279
19911115
19901014
19891217
198826
19871016
1986713
19851320
19841221
1983914
1982711
198156
19801122
1979913

When crashes happen on the A965

Saturday has the most collisions on the A965 (58), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (74).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday39 (13%)
  • Tuesday31 (10%)
  • Wednesday42 (14%)
  • Thursday37 (12%)
  • Friday57 (18%)
  • Saturday58 (19%)
  • Sunday46 (15%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am31 (10%)
  • 3am to 6am9 (2.9%)
  • 6am to 9am27 (8.7%)
  • 9am to noon39 (13%)
  • Noon to 3pm47 (15%)
  • 3pm to 6pm74 (24%)
  • 6pm to 9pm43 (14%)
  • 9pm to midnight40 (13%)

Collisions by month

  • January23 (7.4%)
  • February22 (7.1%)
  • March21 (6.8%)
  • April24 (7.7%)
  • May26 (8.4%)
  • June31 (10%)
  • July36 (12%)
  • August29 (9.4%)
  • September22 (7.1%)
  • October32 (10%)
  • November23 (7.4%)
  • December21 (6.8%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight199 (64%)
  • Dark, no street lighting76 (25%)
  • Dark, street lights lit28 (9%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown6 (1.9%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit1 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A965 crashes

On the A965, 73% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 60 mph and 58% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 10 mph1 (0.3%)
  • 15 mph12 (3.9%)
  • 20 mph1 (0.3%)
  • 30 mph67 (22%)
  • 40 mph4 (1.3%)
  • 60 mph225 (73%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds204 (66%)
  • Raining, no high winds43 (14%)
  • Raining with high winds16 (5.2%)
  • Fine with high winds15 (4.8%)
  • Other30 (9.7%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.6%)

Road surface

  • Dry179 (58%)
  • Wet or damp97 (31%)
  • Frost or ice20 (6.5%)
  • Snow12 (3.9%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep2 (0.6%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway294 (95%)
  • Dual carriageway7 (2.3%)
  • Roundabout6 (1.9%)
  • One way street or slip road1 (0.3%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.6%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A965 crashes

Car occupants make up 76% of the people killed or injured on the A965, followed by motorcyclists (8.1%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant360 (76%)
  • Motorcyclist38 (8.1%)
  • Pedestrian38 (8.1%)
  • Cyclist16 (3.4%)
  • Van occupant8 (1.7%)
  • Other vehicle occupant5 (1.1%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)3 (0.6%)
  • Other4 (0.8%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car389 (76%)
  • Motorcycle34 (6.6%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes22 (4.3%)
  • Pedal cycle18 (3.5%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes15 (2.9%)
  • Other vehicle13 (2.5%)
  • Bus or coach10 (1.9%)
  • Other14 (2.7%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 511 (2.3%)
  • 6 to 105 (1.1%)
  • 11 to 1519 (4%)
  • 16 to 20126 (27%)
  • 21 to 2560 (13%)
  • 26 to 3561 (13%)
  • 36 to 4557 (12%)
  • 46 to 5541 (8.7%)
  • 56 to 6541 (8.7%)
  • 66 to 7524 (5.1%)
  • Over 7523 (4.9%)
  • Not recorded4 (0.8%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider296 (63%)
  • Passenger138 (29%)
  • Pedestrian38 (8.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A965

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A965

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

A965 crashes by council area

Of the 310 collisions on the A965, 309 were in Orkney Islands.

Collisions on the A965 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stOrkney Islands3094712498

A965 crashes by town

Of the 310 collisions on the A965, 7 were in the built-up area of Kirkwall.

Recent crashes on the A965

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A965, from 10 August 2016 to 29 August 2025.

Severity