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CrashStats

B278 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 1,817 collisions on the B278 from 1979 to 2025, with 2,210 casualties. Of those crashes, 17 were fatal and 325 serious, and 17 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 20 collisions on the B278, down 9% from 22 in 2024, with 22 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
1,817
634th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
2,210
1.22 per collision
Fatal collisions
17
17 people killed
Serious collisions
325
354 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
20
Down 9% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
22
Down 4% on 2024

Crash severity on the B278

On the B278, 0.9% of collisions were fatal and 18% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal170.9%
  • Serious32518%
  • Slight1,47581%

Where the B278 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
634th
Most casualties
690th
Most fatal collisions
1,125th
Most serious collisions
657th

B278 accidents by year

Collisions on the B278 peaked at 80 in 1982 and were down to 20 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the B278, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 20
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20252022
20242223
20232534
20221722
20212030
20201821
20191921
20182020
20172628
20162627
20152527
20141618
20132633
20123242
20111820
20101720
20093035
20082742
20073438
20062830
20053845
20043639
20033646
20022837
20014153
20004455
19994961
19984152
19974960
19963748
19954956
19945571
19935464
19925465
19915062
19905874
19895059
19884047
19875772
19864952
19856879
19845460
19837998
19828098
19815169
19805665
19794870

When crashes happen on the B278

Thursday has the most collisions on the B278 (321), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (424).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday268 (15%)
  • Tuesday254 (14%)
  • Wednesday278 (15%)
  • Thursday321 (18%)
  • Friday260 (14%)
  • Saturday240 (13%)
  • Sunday196 (11%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am67 (3.7%)
  • 3am to 6am15 (0.8%)
  • 6am to 9am298 (16%)
  • 9am to noon247 (14%)
  • Noon to 3pm289 (16%)
  • 3pm to 6pm424 (23%)
  • 6pm to 9pm276 (15%)
  • 9pm to midnight201 (11%)

Collisions by month

  • January142 (7.8%)
  • February148 (8.1%)
  • March169 (9.3%)
  • April142 (7.8%)
  • May146 (8%)
  • June177 (9.7%)
  • July131 (7.2%)
  • August124 (6.8%)
  • September157 (8.6%)
  • October162 (8.9%)
  • November162 (8.9%)
  • December157 (8.6%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight1,301 (72%)
  • Dark, street lights lit457 (25%)
  • Dark, no street lighting31 (1.7%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown18 (1%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit10 (0.6%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in B278 crashes

On the B278, 93% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 30 mph and 75% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph28 (1.5%)
  • 30 mph1,694 (93%)
  • 40 mph76 (4.2%)
  • 60 mph17 (0.9%)
  • 70 mph2 (0.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds1,368 (75%)
  • Raining, no high winds223 (12%)
  • Fine with high winds13 (0.7%)
  • Fog or mist9 (0.5%)
  • Other169 (9.3%)
  • Not recorded35 (1.9%)

Road surface

  • Dry1,365 (75%)
  • Wet or damp415 (23%)
  • Frost or ice22 (1.2%)
  • Snow7 (0.4%)
  • Other4 (0.2%)
  • Not recorded4 (0.2%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway1,467 (81%)
  • Dual carriageway103 (5.7%)
  • Roundabout82 (4.5%)
  • One way street or slip road37 (2%)
  • Not recorded128 (7%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in B278 crashes

Car occupants make up 51% of the people killed or injured on the B278, followed by pedestrians (17%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant1,121 (51%)
  • Pedestrian380 (17%)
  • Motorcyclist360 (16%)
  • Cyclist185 (8.4%)
  • Bus or coach occupant80 (3.6%)
  • Van occupant59 (2.7%)
  • Other24 (1.1%)
  • Not recorded1 (under 0.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car2,323 (72%)
  • Motorcycle374 (12%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes195 (6%)
  • Pedal cycle188 (5.8%)
  • Bus or coach80 (2.5%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes33 (1%)
  • Taxi or private hire car14 (0.4%)
  • Other24 (0.7%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 546 (2.1%)
  • 6 to 1082 (3.7%)
  • 11 to 15200 (9%)
  • 16 to 20352 (16%)
  • 21 to 25279 (13%)
  • 26 to 35405 (18%)
  • 36 to 45275 (12%)
  • 46 to 55184 (8.3%)
  • 56 to 65110 (5%)
  • 66 to 7580 (3.6%)
  • Over 7567 (3%)
  • Not recorded130 (5.9%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider1,370 (62%)
  • Passenger460 (21%)
  • Pedestrian380 (17%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the B278

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the B278

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

B278 crashes by council area

Collisions on the B278 were recorded in 3 council areas. Sutton has the most, with 1,587, followed by Reigate and Banstead (123) and Merton (105).

Collisions on the B278 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stSutton1,5871,93017282
2ndReigate and Banstead123154022
3rdMerton105124021

B278 crashes by town

Collisions on the B278 were recorded in 3 towns and built-up areas, led by Sutton, Sutton (1,349) and Chipstead and Woodmansterne (94).

Recent crashes on the B278

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the B278, from 20 September 2024 to 19 November 2025.

Severity