Skip to main content
CrashStats

B531 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 647 collisions on the B531 from 1979 to 2025, with 799 casualties. Of those crashes, 6 were fatal and 97 serious, and 6 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 3 collisions on the B531, down 63% from 8 in 2024, with 4 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
647
1,597th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
799
1.23 per collision
Fatal collisions
6
6 people killed
Serious collisions
97
101 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
3
Down 63% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
4
Down 56% on 2024

Crash severity on the B531

On the B531, 0.9% of collisions were fatal and 15% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal60.9%
  • Serious9715%
  • Slight54484%

Where the B531 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
1,597th
Most casualties
1,731st
Most fatal collisions
2,299th
Most serious collisions
1,966th

B531 accidents by year

Collisions on the B531 peaked at 40 in 1989 and were down to 3 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the B531, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 3
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
202534
202489
202389
20221521
2021910
20201215
20191526
20181113
2017911
20161722
20151722
20141518
20131114
20121419
20111315
20101215
20091720
20081316
20071011
20061923
2005610
20041518
2003917
20021011
20011314
20001219
199988
19982125
19971621
19962429
19951517
19941723
19931719
19922228
19911518
19902122
19894047
19882327
19872329
19862628
19852022
19842532
198300
198200
198100
198000
197912

When crashes happen on the B531

Friday has the most collisions on the B531 (116), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (179).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday93 (14%)
  • Tuesday95 (15%)
  • Wednesday104 (16%)
  • Thursday96 (15%)
  • Friday116 (18%)
  • Saturday84 (13%)
  • Sunday59 (9.1%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am19 (2.9%)
  • 3am to 6am19 (2.9%)
  • 6am to 9am84 (13%)
  • 9am to noon71 (11%)
  • Noon to 3pm110 (17%)
  • 3pm to 6pm179 (28%)
  • 6pm to 9pm108 (17%)
  • 9pm to midnight57 (8.8%)

Collisions by month

  • January51 (7.9%)
  • February41 (6.3%)
  • March59 (9.1%)
  • April54 (8.3%)
  • May46 (7.1%)
  • June51 (7.9%)
  • July56 (8.7%)
  • August48 (7.4%)
  • September53 (8.2%)
  • October52 (8%)
  • November66 (10%)
  • December70 (11%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight440 (68%)
  • Dark, street lights lit194 (30%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown7 (1.1%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit4 (0.6%)
  • Dark, no street lighting2 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in B531 crashes

On the B531, 99% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 30 mph and 70% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph1 (0.2%)
  • 30 mph641 (99%)
  • 40 mph3 (0.5%)
  • 60 mph2 (0.3%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds532 (82%)
  • Raining, no high winds73 (11%)
  • Fine with high winds10 (1.5%)
  • Fog or mist6 (0.9%)
  • Other21 (3.2%)
  • Not recorded5 (0.8%)

Road surface

  • Dry451 (70%)
  • Wet or damp183 (28%)
  • Frost or ice7 (1.1%)
  • Snow4 (0.6%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.3%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway600 (93%)
  • Dual carriageway20 (3.1%)
  • Roundabout17 (2.6%)
  • One way street or slip road8 (1.2%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in B531 crashes

Car occupants make up 43% of the people killed or injured on the B531, followed by motorcyclists (18%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant343 (43%)
  • Motorcyclist146 (18%)
  • Cyclist135 (17%)
  • Pedestrian131 (16%)
  • Van occupant19 (2.4%)
  • Bus or coach occupant12 (1.5%)
  • Other11 (1.4%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.3%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car833 (67%)
  • Motorcycle152 (12%)
  • Pedal cycle138 (11%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes69 (5.5%)
  • Bus or coach18 (1.4%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes16 (1.3%)
  • Other23 (1.8%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.2%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 515 (1.9%)
  • 6 to 1021 (2.6%)
  • 11 to 1555 (6.9%)
  • 16 to 20159 (20%)
  • 21 to 2590 (11%)
  • 26 to 35173 (22%)
  • 36 to 45103 (13%)
  • 46 to 5577 (9.6%)
  • 56 to 6554 (6.8%)
  • 66 to 7529 (3.6%)
  • Over 7518 (2.3%)
  • Not recorded5 (0.6%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider524 (66%)
  • Passenger144 (18%)
  • Pedestrian131 (16%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the B531

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the B531

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

B531 crashes by council area

Collisions on the B531 were recorded in 2 council areas. Bedford has the most, with 637, followed by Central Bedfordshire (8).

Collisions on the B531 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stBedford637782696
2ndCentral Bedfordshire81401

B531 crashes by town

Collisions on the B531 were recorded in 2 towns and built-up areas, led by Kempston (449) and Bedford (135).

Recent crashes on the B531

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the B531, from 27 September 2022 to 18 October 2025.

Severity