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CrashStats

B653 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 977 collisions on the B653 from 1984 to 2025, with 1,548 casualties. Of those crashes, 20 were fatal and 191 serious, and 21 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 14 collisions on the B653, up 8% from 13 in 2024, with 18 casualties.

Collisions since 1984
977
1,121st highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
1,548
1.58 per collision
Fatal collisions
20
21 people killed
Serious collisions
191
242 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
14
Up 8% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
18
Down 36% on 2024

Crash severity on the B653

On the B653, 2% of collisions were fatal and 20% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1984 to 2025

  • Fatal202%
  • Serious19120%
  • Slight76678%

Where the B653 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
1,121st
Most casualties
963rd
Most fatal collisions
983rd
Most serious collisions
1,090th

B653 accidents by year

Collisions on the B653 peaked at 43 in 1998 and were down to 14 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the B653, 1984 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 14
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20251418
20241328
2023914
20221322
20211321
2020714
20191936
20181118
2017813
20161524
20152037
20141319
20132033
20122440
20111012
20101725
20092449
20082844
20072232
20061518
20052439
20042029
20032437
20023266
20013863
20003454
19993769
19984375
19973971
19962835
19952134
19942846
19933037
19922843
19912944
19904057
19893034
19883145
19872833
19863756
19852337
19841827

When crashes happen on the B653

Thursday has the most collisions on the B653 (166), and 6am to 9am is the busiest time of day (224).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday141 (14%)
  • Tuesday131 (13%)
  • Wednesday140 (14%)
  • Thursday166 (17%)
  • Friday156 (16%)
  • Saturday129 (13%)
  • Sunday114 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am41 (4.2%)
  • 3am to 6am20 (2%)
  • 6am to 9am224 (23%)
  • 9am to noon136 (14%)
  • Noon to 3pm152 (16%)
  • 3pm to 6pm171 (18%)
  • 6pm to 9pm140 (14%)
  • 9pm to midnight93 (9.5%)

Collisions by month

  • January75 (7.7%)
  • February78 (8%)
  • March74 (7.6%)
  • April78 (8%)
  • May69 (7.1%)
  • June83 (8.5%)
  • July75 (7.7%)
  • August76 (7.8%)
  • September78 (8%)
  • October105 (11%)
  • November100 (10%)
  • December86 (8.8%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight701 (72%)
  • Dark, no street lighting172 (18%)
  • Dark, street lights lit93 (9.5%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown8 (0.8%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit3 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in B653 crashes

On the B653, 52% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 60 mph and 52% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph2 (0.2%)
  • 30 mph243 (25%)
  • 40 mph219 (22%)
  • 50 mph5 (0.5%)
  • 60 mph507 (52%)
  • 70 mph1 (0.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds719 (74%)
  • Raining, no high winds162 (17%)
  • Fine with high winds20 (2%)
  • Fog or mist16 (1.6%)
  • Other53 (5.4%)
  • Not recorded7 (0.7%)

Road surface

  • Dry510 (52%)
  • Wet or damp417 (43%)
  • Frost or ice33 (3.4%)
  • Snow10 (1%)
  • Other6 (0.6%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway911 (93%)
  • Roundabout46 (4.7%)
  • Dual carriageway18 (1.8%)
  • One way street or slip road2 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in B653 crashes

Car occupants make up 79% of the people killed or injured on the B653, followed by motorcyclists (6.8%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant1,230 (79%)
  • Motorcyclist106 (6.8%)
  • Pedestrian62 (4%)
  • Van occupant55 (3.6%)
  • Cyclist50 (3.2%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)15 (1%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant14 (0.9%)
  • Other16 (1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car1,637 (81%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes110 (5.4%)
  • Motorcycle107 (5.3%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes55 (2.7%)
  • Pedal cycle53 (2.6%)
  • Bus or coach17 (0.8%)
  • Other42 (2.1%)
  • Not recorded1 (under 0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 520 (1.3%)
  • 6 to 1023 (1.5%)
  • 11 to 1534 (2.2%)
  • 16 to 20216 (14%)
  • 21 to 25251 (16%)
  • 26 to 35385 (25%)
  • 36 to 45264 (17%)
  • 46 to 55163 (11%)
  • 56 to 65100 (6.5%)
  • 66 to 7547 (3%)
  • Over 7533 (2.1%)
  • Not recorded12 (0.8%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider1,080 (70%)
  • Passenger406 (26%)
  • Pedestrian62 (4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the B653

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the B653

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

B653 crashes by council area

Collisions on the B653 were recorded in 4 council areas. St Albans has the most, with 506, followed by Welwyn Hatfield (171) and Central Bedfordshire (165).

Collisions on the B653 in each area, 1984 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stSt Albans506791889
2ndWelwyn Hatfield171259340
3rdCentral Bedfordshire165270438
4thLuton132223523

B653 crashes by town

Collisions on the B653 were recorded in 4 towns and built-up areas, led by Harpenden (126) and Wheathampstead (26).

Recent crashes on the B653

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the B653, from 21 May 2024 to 11 December 2025.

Severity