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CrashStats

M3 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 8,670 collisions on the M3 from 1979 to 2025, with 13,755 casualties. Of those crashes, 177 were fatal and 1,545 serious, and 198 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 87 collisions on the M3, down 30% from 124 in 2024, with 128 casualties.

Live M3 closures, incidents and roadworks are checked every 5 minutes.

Collisions since 1979
8,670
96th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
13,755
1.59 per collision
Fatal collisions
177
198 people killed
Serious collisions
1,545
2,011 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
87
Down 30% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
128
Down 30% on 2024

Crash severity on the M3

On the M3, 2% of collisions were fatal and 18% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal1772%
  • Serious1,54518%
  • Slight6,94880%

Where the M3 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
96th
Most casualties
82nd
Most fatal collisions
112th
Most serious collisions
105th

M3 accidents by year

Collisions on the M3 peaked at 296 in 2004 and were down to 87 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the M3, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 87
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
202587128
2024124184
2023119191
2022123201
2021118183
2020103159
2019142237
2018160237
2017155251
2016188329
2015178283
2014224336
2013215350
2012196318
2011208357
2010213333
2009217329
2008223344
2007237358
2006288461
2005239379
2004296473
2003273422
2002265420
2001254432
2000277432
1999268431
1998258460
1997237354
1996214329
1995229353
1994189264
1993201337
1992189287
1991151228
1990206335
1989185317
1988186284
1987170264
1986132204
1985138221
1984109171
198383151
1982110162
198186144
198098146
1979109186

When crashes happen on the M3

Friday has the most collisions on the M3 (1,609), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (1,911).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday1,215 (14%)
  • Tuesday1,023 (12%)
  • Wednesday1,135 (13%)
  • Thursday1,189 (14%)
  • Friday1,609 (19%)
  • Saturday1,225 (14%)
  • Sunday1,274 (15%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am471 (5.4%)
  • 3am to 6am406 (4.7%)
  • 6am to 9am1,370 (16%)
  • 9am to noon1,238 (14%)
  • Noon to 3pm1,422 (16%)
  • 3pm to 6pm1,911 (22%)
  • 6pm to 9pm1,228 (14%)
  • 9pm to midnight624 (7.2%)

Collisions by month

  • January633 (7.3%)
  • February591 (6.8%)
  • March654 (7.5%)
  • April635 (7.3%)
  • May666 (7.7%)
  • June760 (8.8%)
  • July837 (9.7%)
  • August859 (9.9%)
  • September754 (8.7%)
  • October860 (9.9%)
  • November707 (8.2%)
  • December714 (8.2%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight5,940 (69%)
  • Dark, no street lighting2,043 (24%)
  • Dark, street lights lit477 (5.5%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown171 (2%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit39 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in M3 crashes

On the M3, 94% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 70 mph and 71% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph3 (under 0.1%)
  • 30 mph77 (0.9%)
  • 40 mph26 (0.3%)
  • 50 mph343 (4%)
  • 60 mph110 (1.3%)
  • 70 mph8,110 (94%)
  • Not recorded1 (under 0.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds6,792 (78%)
  • Raining, no high winds1,126 (13%)
  • Raining with high winds184 (2.1%)
  • Fine with high winds135 (1.6%)
  • Other314 (3.6%)
  • Not recorded119 (1.4%)

Road surface

  • Dry6,155 (71%)
  • Wet or damp2,373 (27%)
  • Frost or ice79 (0.9%)
  • Snow32 (0.4%)
  • Other27 (0.3%)
  • Not recorded4 (under 0.1%)

Type of road

  • Dual carriageway7,925 (91%)
  • One way street or slip road343 (4%)
  • Roundabout242 (2.8%)
  • Single carriageway130 (1.5%)
  • Not recorded30 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in M3 crashes

Car occupants make up 84% of the people killed or injured on the M3, followed by van occupants (5.1%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant11,512 (84%)
  • Van occupant707 (5.1%)
  • Motorcyclist671 (4.9%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)399 (2.9%)
  • Minibus occupant133 (1%)
  • Pedestrian110 (0.8%)
  • Bus or coach occupant99 (0.7%)
  • Other124 (0.9%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car15,137 (80%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes1,516 (8%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes1,266 (6.7%)
  • Motorcycle635 (3.4%)
  • Other vehicle113 (0.6%)
  • Bus or coach70 (0.4%)
  • Other166 (0.9%)
  • Not recorded2 (under 0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 5235 (1.7%)
  • 6 to 10266 (1.9%)
  • 11 to 15281 (2%)
  • 16 to 201,353 (9.8%)
  • 21 to 252,118 (15%)
  • 26 to 353,275 (24%)
  • 36 to 452,384 (17%)
  • 46 to 551,725 (13%)
  • 56 to 651,165 (8.5%)
  • 66 to 75577 (4.2%)
  • Over 75248 (1.8%)
  • Not recorded128 (0.9%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider9,014 (66%)
  • Passenger4,631 (34%)
  • Pedestrian110 (0.8%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the M3

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the M3

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

M3 crashes by council area

Collisions on the M3 were recorded in 10 council areas. Surrey Heath has the most, with 1,822, followed by Basingstoke and Deane (1,599) and Winchester (1,543).

Collisions on the M3 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stSurrey Heath1,8222,96938262
2ndBasingstoke and Deane1,5992,51527374
3rdWinchester1,5432,36330255
4thRunnymede1,3592,36827173
5thHart1,0581,66330265
6thEastleigh557838965
7thSpelthorne3765291280
8thRushmoor228326256
9thTest Valley101145213
10thWoking101401

M3 crashes by town

Collisions on the M3 were recorded in 22 towns and built-up areas, led by Camberley (332) and Longcross (154).

Recent crashes on the M3

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the M3, from 20 September to 28 December 2025.

Severity