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CrashStats

A986 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 57 collisions on the A986 from 1979 to 2025, with 88 casualties. Of those crashes, 4 were fatal and 17 serious, and 4 people were killed.

In 2025 there was 1 collision on the A986, level with 2024, with 1 casualty.

Collisions since 1979
57
4,511th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
88
1.54 per collision
Fatal collisions
4
4 people killed
Serious collisions
17
26 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
1
Level with 2024
Casualties in 2025
1
Level with 2024

Crash severity on the A986

On the A986, 7% of collisions were fatal and 30% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal47%
  • Serious1730%
  • Slight3663%

Where the A986 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
4,511th
Most casualties
4,403rd
Most fatal collisions
2,815th
Most serious collisions
4,187th

A986 accidents by year

Collisions on the A986 peaked at 3 in 2010 and were down to 1 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A986, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 1
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
202511
202411
202311
202200
202100
202000
201911
201800
201700
201600
201511
201411
201300
201223
201100
201039
200900
200822
200714
200635
200533
200400
200335
200222
200123
200011
199915
199812
199711
199600
199500
199411
199323
199222
199133
199022
198922
198800
198712
198624
198535
198423
198311
198211
198111
198011
197926

When crashes happen on the A986

Sunday has the most collisions on the A986 (13), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (16).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday7 (12%)
  • Tuesday7 (12%)
  • Wednesday5 (8.8%)
  • Thursday9 (16%)
  • Friday11 (19%)
  • Saturday5 (8.8%)
  • Sunday13 (23%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am5 (8.8%)
  • 3am to 6am2 (3.5%)
  • 6am to 9am4 (7%)
  • 9am to noon8 (14%)
  • Noon to 3pm8 (14%)
  • 3pm to 6pm16 (28%)
  • 6pm to 9pm4 (7%)
  • 9pm to midnight10 (18%)

Collisions by month

  • January3 (5.3%)
  • February2 (3.5%)
  • March6 (11%)
  • April1 (1.8%)
  • May7 (12%)
  • June4 (7%)
  • July6 (11%)
  • August5 (8.8%)
  • September5 (8.8%)
  • October8 (14%)
  • November3 (5.3%)
  • December7 (12%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight37 (65%)
  • Dark, no street lighting17 (30%)
  • Dark, street lights lit2 (3.5%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown1 (1.8%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A986 crashes

On the A986, 86% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 60 mph and 47% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph4 (7%)
  • 40 mph3 (5.3%)
  • 50 mph1 (1.8%)
  • 60 mph49 (86%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds35 (61%)
  • Raining, no high winds12 (21%)
  • Fine with high winds1 (1.8%)
  • Raining with high winds1 (1.8%)
  • Snowing with high winds1 (1.8%)
  • Other7 (12%)

Road surface

  • Dry27 (47%)
  • Wet or damp25 (44%)
  • Frost or ice3 (5.3%)
  • Snow2 (3.5%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway54 (95%)
  • Dual carriageway1 (1.8%)
  • Roundabout1 (1.8%)
  • Not recorded1 (1.8%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A986 crashes

Car occupants make up 73% of the people killed or injured on the A986, followed by pedestrians (10%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant64 (73%)
  • Pedestrian9 (10%)
  • Motorcyclist5 (5.7%)
  • Van occupant3 (3.4%)
  • Bus or coach occupant2 (2.3%)
  • Cyclist2 (2.3%)
  • Minibus occupant2 (2.3%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant1 (1.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car63 (78%)
  • Motorcycle5 (6.2%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes3 (3.7%)
  • Bus or coach2 (2.5%)
  • Minibus2 (2.5%)
  • Pedal cycle2 (2.5%)
  • Taxi or private hire car2 (2.5%)
  • Other2 (2.5%)

Casualties by age

  • 11 to 152 (2.3%)
  • 16 to 2024 (27%)
  • 21 to 2511 (13%)
  • 26 to 3511 (13%)
  • 36 to 459 (10%)
  • 46 to 5511 (13%)
  • 56 to 659 (10%)
  • 66 to 757 (8%)
  • Over 752 (2.3%)
  • Not recorded2 (2.3%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider55 (63%)
  • Passenger24 (27%)
  • Pedestrian9 (10%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A986

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A986

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

A986 crashes by council area

Of the 57 collisions on the A986, 54 were in Orkney Islands.

Collisions on the A986 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stOrkney Islands5484416

Recent crashes on the A986

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A986, from 1 September 2002 to 25 August 2025.

Severity