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CrashStats

B656 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 1,142 collisions on the B656 from 1979 to 2025, with 1,575 casualties. Of those crashes, 20 were fatal and 244 serious, and 21 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 6 collisions on the B656, down 60% from 15 in 2024, with 13 casualties.

Collisions since 1979
1,142
951st highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
1,575
1.38 per collision
Fatal collisions
20
21 people killed
Serious collisions
244
286 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
6
Down 60% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
13
Down 41% on 2024

Crash severity on the B656

On the B656, 1.8% of collisions were fatal and 21% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal201.8%
  • Serious24421%
  • Slight87877%

Where the B656 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
951st
Most casualties
943rd
Most fatal collisions
983rd
Most serious collisions
880th

B656 accidents by year

Collisions on the B656 peaked at 46 in 2006 and were down to 6 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the B656, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 6
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025613
20241522
20231115
20221116
20211524
20201316
20191217
201879
20171216
20161923
20152027
20142435
20131721
20122433
20112030
20102737
20093345
20082335
20074358
20064669
20053342
20042333
20032235
20022838
20013449
20001826
19993142
19984151
19972937
19962631
19952438
19942736
19932936
19923752
19912942
19904052
19892838
19882937
19871922
19863344
19852845
19843544
19832634
19822632
19811421
19801828
19791729

When crashes happen on the B656

Tuesday has the most collisions on the B656 (193), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (289).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday141 (12%)
  • Tuesday193 (17%)
  • Wednesday155 (14%)
  • Thursday188 (16%)
  • Friday192 (17%)
  • Saturday151 (13%)
  • Sunday122 (11%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am42 (3.7%)
  • 3am to 6am14 (1.2%)
  • 6am to 9am159 (14%)
  • 9am to noon172 (15%)
  • Noon to 3pm200 (18%)
  • 3pm to 6pm289 (25%)
  • 6pm to 9pm163 (14%)
  • 9pm to midnight103 (9%)

Collisions by month

  • January81 (7.1%)
  • February91 (8%)
  • March85 (7.4%)
  • April71 (6.2%)
  • May117 (10%)
  • June87 (7.6%)
  • July98 (8.6%)
  • August94 (8.2%)
  • September85 (7.4%)
  • October112 (9.8%)
  • November119 (10%)
  • December102 (8.9%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight826 (72%)
  • Dark, street lights lit203 (18%)
  • Dark, no street lighting95 (8.3%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown12 (1.1%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit6 (0.5%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in B656 crashes

On the B656, 55% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 30 mph and 59% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph630 (55%)
  • 40 mph76 (6.7%)
  • 50 mph44 (3.9%)
  • 60 mph388 (34%)
  • 70 mph4 (0.4%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds876 (77%)
  • Raining, no high winds153 (13%)
  • Raining with high winds21 (1.8%)
  • Fine with high winds16 (1.4%)
  • Other57 (5%)
  • Not recorded19 (1.7%)

Road surface

  • Dry674 (59%)
  • Wet or damp428 (37%)
  • Frost or ice19 (1.7%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep10 (0.9%)
  • Other9 (0.8%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.2%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway1,045 (92%)
  • Roundabout82 (7.2%)
  • Dual carriageway14 (1.2%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in B656 crashes

Car occupants make up 64% of the people killed or injured on the B656, followed by motorcyclists (15%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant1,002 (64%)
  • Motorcyclist243 (15%)
  • Cyclist126 (8%)
  • Pedestrian125 (7.9%)
  • Van occupant43 (2.7%)
  • Bus or coach occupant16 (1%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)9 (0.6%)
  • Other11 (0.7%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car1,555 (74%)
  • Motorcycle241 (11%)
  • Pedal cycle129 (6.1%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes82 (3.9%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes43 (2%)
  • Bus or coach21 (1%)
  • Taxi or private hire car15 (0.7%)
  • Other17 (0.8%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 516 (1%)
  • 6 to 1032 (2%)
  • 11 to 1573 (4.6%)
  • 16 to 20330 (21%)
  • 21 to 25226 (14%)
  • 26 to 35269 (17%)
  • 36 to 45242 (15%)
  • 46 to 55149 (9.5%)
  • 56 to 65120 (7.6%)
  • 66 to 7562 (3.9%)
  • Over 7548 (3%)
  • Not recorded8 (0.5%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider1,097 (70%)
  • Passenger353 (22%)
  • Pedestrian125 (7.9%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the B656

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the B656

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

B656 crashes by council area

Collisions on the B656 were recorded in 2 council areas. North Hertfordshire has the most, with 1,071, followed by Welwyn Hatfield (70).

Collisions on the B656 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stNorth Hertfordshire1,0711,48220232
2ndWelwyn Hatfield7092012

B656 crashes by town

Collisions on the B656 were recorded in 6 towns and built-up areas, led by Hitchin (406) and Codicote (80).

Recent crashes on the B656

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the B656, from 13 July 2023 to 22 September 2025.

Severity