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CrashStats

A981 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 269 collisions on the A981 from 1979 to 2025, with 401 casualties. Of those crashes, 19 were fatal and 68 serious, and 20 people were killed.

In 2025 there was 1 collision on the A981, down 67% from 3 in 2024, with 1 casualty.

Collisions since 1979
269
2,861st highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
401
1.49 per collision
Fatal collisions
19
20 people killed
Serious collisions
68
97 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
1
Down 67% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
1
Down 83% on 2024

Crash severity on the A981

On the A981, 7.1% of collisions were fatal and 25% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal197.1%
  • Serious6825%
  • Slight18268%

Where the A981 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
2,861st
Most casualties
2,725th
Most fatal collisions
1,031st
Most serious collisions
2,523rd

A981 accidents by year

Collisions on the A981 peaked at 21 in 1988 and were down to 1 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A981, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 1
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
202511
202436
202300
202223
202100
202034
201935
201823
201726
201645
201534
201400
201356
201267
201157
201027
2009910
2008914
200722
200657
2005610
200445
200356
200246
2001710
200058
199936
1998410
1997613
199669
199533
199411
1993712
199267
199168
19901012
1989912
19882129
19871216
19861218
1985811
1984913
198379
19821019
19811619
1980811
1979821

When crashes happen on the A981

Saturday has the most collisions on the A981 (66), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (66).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday25 (9.3%)
  • Tuesday42 (16%)
  • Wednesday34 (13%)
  • Thursday26 (9.7%)
  • Friday40 (15%)
  • Saturday66 (25%)
  • Sunday36 (13%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am23 (8.6%)
  • 3am to 6am3 (1.1%)
  • 6am to 9am36 (13%)
  • 9am to noon37 (14%)
  • Noon to 3pm23 (8.6%)
  • 3pm to 6pm66 (25%)
  • 6pm to 9pm47 (17%)
  • 9pm to midnight34 (13%)

Collisions by month

  • January19 (7.1%)
  • February20 (7.4%)
  • March17 (6.3%)
  • April32 (12%)
  • May18 (6.7%)
  • June29 (11%)
  • July17 (6.3%)
  • August24 (8.9%)
  • September21 (7.8%)
  • October21 (7.8%)
  • November23 (8.6%)
  • December28 (10%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight172 (64%)
  • Dark, no street lighting76 (28%)
  • Dark, street lights lit18 (6.7%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown2 (0.7%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit1 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A981 crashes

On the A981, 79% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 60 mph and 45% on a wet or damp road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph38 (14%)
  • 40 mph10 (3.7%)
  • 50 mph7 (2.6%)
  • 60 mph213 (79%)
  • 70 mph1 (0.4%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds179 (67%)
  • Raining, no high winds47 (17%)
  • Raining with high winds9 (3.3%)
  • Fine with high winds8 (3%)
  • Snowing with high winds6 (2.2%)
  • Other20 (7.4%)

Road surface

  • Wet or damp120 (45%)
  • Dry119 (44%)
  • Frost or ice15 (5.6%)
  • Snow14 (5.2%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep1 (0.4%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway261 (97%)
  • Dual carriageway4 (1.5%)
  • Roundabout3 (1.1%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A981 crashes

Car occupants make up 76% of the people killed or injured on the A981, followed by motorcyclists (7.7%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant306 (76%)
  • Motorcyclist31 (7.7%)
  • Pedestrian21 (5.2%)
  • Van occupant14 (3.5%)
  • Minibus occupant13 (3.2%)
  • Cyclist10 (2.5%)
  • Other vehicle occupant2 (0.5%)
  • Other4 (1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car316 (76%)
  • Motorcycle29 (7%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes19 (4.6%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes19 (4.6%)
  • Pedal cycle10 (2.4%)
  • Bus or coach9 (2.2%)
  • Other vehicle8 (1.9%)
  • Other6 (1.4%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 57 (1.7%)
  • 6 to 109 (2.2%)
  • 11 to 1518 (4.5%)
  • 16 to 20113 (28%)
  • 21 to 2560 (15%)
  • 26 to 3569 (17%)
  • 36 to 4550 (12%)
  • 46 to 5531 (7.7%)
  • 56 to 6519 (4.7%)
  • 66 to 7516 (4%)
  • Over 759 (2.2%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider249 (62%)
  • Passenger131 (33%)
  • Pedestrian21 (5.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A981

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A981

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

A981 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A981 were recorded in 2 council areas. Aberdeenshire has the most, with 259, followed by Fife (7).

Collisions on the A981 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stAberdeenshire2593881966
2ndFife7902

A981 crashes by town

Collisions on the A981 were recorded in 4 towns and built-up areas, led by Fraserburgh (18) and Inverurie (11).

Recent crashes on the A981

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A981, from 3 July 2013 to 11 June 2025.

Severity