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CrashStats

B4540 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 770 collisions on the B4540 from 1979 to 2025, with 1,141 casualties. Of those crashes, 17 were fatal and 142 serious, and 18 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 9 collisions on the B4540, down 40% from 15 in 2024, with 17 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
770
1,388th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
1,141
1.48 per collision
Fatal collisions
17
18 people killed
Serious collisions
142
173 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
9
Down 40% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
17
Level with 2024

Crash severity on the B4540

On the B4540, 2.2% of collisions were fatal and 18% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal172.2%
  • Serious14218%
  • Slight61179%

Where the B4540 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
1,388th
Most casualties
1,275th
Most fatal collisions
1,125th
Most serious collisions
1,437th

B4540 accidents by year

Collisions on the B4540 peaked at 39 in 1990 and were down to 9 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the B4540, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025917
20241517
202368
20221313
2021710
20201213
20191420
20181013
2017813
20161316
20151116
20141010
20131114
20121219
20111112
2010710
20092030
20081014
2007712
20062132
20051017
20041016
20031214
20021117
2001914
2000811
19991422
19982537
19973046
19961523
19952140
19942332
19931015
19922349
19913754
19903954
19893248
19882639
19872438
19861422
19851724
19841928
19831519
19822442
19812133
19802744
19792734

When crashes happen on the B4540

Friday has the most collisions on the B4540 (136), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (176).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday103 (13%)
  • Tuesday110 (14%)
  • Wednesday107 (14%)
  • Thursday107 (14%)
  • Friday136 (18%)
  • Saturday118 (15%)
  • Sunday89 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am34 (4.4%)
  • 3am to 6am14 (1.8%)
  • 6am to 9am105 (14%)
  • 9am to noon117 (15%)
  • Noon to 3pm120 (16%)
  • 3pm to 6pm176 (23%)
  • 6pm to 9pm128 (17%)
  • 9pm to midnight76 (9.9%)

Collisions by month

  • January67 (8.7%)
  • February57 (7.4%)
  • March67 (8.7%)
  • April55 (7.1%)
  • May62 (8.1%)
  • June57 (7.4%)
  • July78 (10%)
  • August52 (6.8%)
  • September71 (9.2%)
  • October71 (9.2%)
  • November63 (8.2%)
  • December70 (9.1%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight540 (70%)
  • Dark, street lights lit143 (19%)
  • Dark, no street lighting77 (10%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown7 (0.9%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit3 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in B4540 crashes

On the B4540, 49% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 30 mph and 57% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph8 (1%)
  • 30 mph375 (49%)
  • 40 mph72 (9.4%)
  • 50 mph3 (0.4%)
  • 60 mph311 (40%)
  • 70 mph1 (0.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds597 (78%)
  • Raining, no high winds106 (14%)
  • Fine with high winds15 (1.9%)
  • Fog or mist15 (1.9%)
  • Other35 (4.5%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.3%)

Road surface

  • Dry436 (57%)
  • Wet or damp301 (39%)
  • Frost or ice23 (3%)
  • Snow3 (0.4%)
  • Not recorded7 (0.9%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway753 (98%)
  • Dual carriageway9 (1.2%)
  • One way street or slip road6 (0.8%)
  • Roundabout2 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in B4540 crashes

Car occupants make up 71% of the people killed or injured on the B4540, followed by pedestrians (9.9%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant808 (71%)
  • Pedestrian113 (9.9%)
  • Motorcyclist108 (9.5%)
  • Cyclist39 (3.4%)
  • Van occupant33 (2.9%)
  • Bus or coach occupant21 (1.8%)
  • Other17 (1.5%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.2%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car1,130 (76%)
  • Motorcycle109 (7.4%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes93 (6.3%)
  • Pedal cycle42 (2.8%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes39 (2.6%)
  • Bus or coach27 (1.8%)
  • Other37 (2.5%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 519 (1.7%)
  • 6 to 1046 (4%)
  • 11 to 1547 (4.1%)
  • 16 to 20220 (19%)
  • 21 to 25173 (15%)
  • 26 to 35255 (22%)
  • 36 to 45122 (11%)
  • 46 to 55120 (11%)
  • 56 to 6572 (6.3%)
  • 66 to 7541 (3.6%)
  • Over 7517 (1.5%)
  • Not recorded9 (0.8%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider706 (62%)
  • Passenger322 (28%)
  • Pedestrian113 (9.9%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the B4540

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the B4540

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

B4540 crashes by council area

Collisions on the B4540 were recorded in 3 council areas. Central Bedfordshire has the most, with 379, followed by Luton (353) and Dacorum (36).

Collisions on the B4540 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stCentral Bedfordshire379591975
2ndLuton353491753
3rdDacorum3657114

B4540 crashes by town

Collisions on the B4540 were recorded in 2 towns and built-up areas, led by Luton (243) and Markyate (8).

Recent crashes on the B4540

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the B4540, from 6 December 2023 to 11 December 2025.

Severity