Skip to main content
CrashStats

M45 accidents: crash map and statistics

Collisions since 1979
106
3,976th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
144
1.36 per collision
Fatal collisions
7
7 people killed
Serious collisions
39
48 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
0
3 in 2024
Casualties in 2025
0
3 in 2024

Crash severity on the M45

On the M45, 6.6% of collisions were fatal and 37% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2024

  • Fatal76.6%
  • Serious3937%
  • Slight6057%

Where the M45 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
3,976th
Most casualties
3,968th
Most fatal collisions
2,103rd
Most serious collisions
3,304th

M45 accidents by year

Collisions on the M45 peaked at 6 in 1986; none were recorded in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the M45, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
202500
202433
202322
202200
202111
202000
201900
201833
201733
201634
201500
201411
201311
201212
201133
201033
200911
200822
200711
200656
200514
200400
200300
200211
200111
200046
199911
199800
199724
199611
199537
199458
199324
199234
199145
199034
198937
198822
198722
198666
198556
198446
198356
198247
198155
198048
197923

When crashes happen on the M45

Monday has the most collisions on the M45 (18), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (18).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday18 (17%)
  • Tuesday13 (12%)
  • Wednesday13 (12%)
  • Thursday18 (17%)
  • Friday17 (16%)
  • Saturday14 (13%)
  • Sunday13 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am12 (11%)
  • 3am to 6am8 (7.5%)
  • 6am to 9am17 (16%)
  • 9am to noon15 (14%)
  • Noon to 3pm11 (10%)
  • 3pm to 6pm18 (17%)
  • 6pm to 9pm14 (13%)
  • 9pm to midnight11 (10%)

Collisions by month

  • January15 (14%)
  • February11 (10%)
  • March8 (7.5%)
  • April10 (9.4%)
  • May6 (5.7%)
  • June6 (5.7%)
  • July6 (5.7%)
  • August6 (5.7%)
  • September10 (9.4%)
  • October8 (7.5%)
  • November7 (6.6%)
  • December13 (12%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight64 (60%)
  • Dark, no street lighting33 (31%)
  • Dark, street lights lit5 (4.7%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit3 (2.8%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown1 (0.9%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in M45 crashes

On the M45, 93% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 70 mph and 52% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph1 (0.9%)
  • 60 mph6 (5.7%)
  • 70 mph99 (93%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds79 (75%)
  • Raining, no high winds14 (13%)
  • Raining with high winds4 (3.8%)
  • Fog or mist2 (1.9%)
  • Other6 (5.7%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.9%)

Road surface

  • Dry55 (52%)
  • Wet or damp32 (30%)
  • Frost or ice15 (14%)
  • Snow3 (2.8%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep1 (0.9%)

Type of road

  • Dual carriageway99 (93%)
  • Roundabout6 (5.7%)
  • Single carriageway1 (0.9%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in M45 crashes

Car occupants make up 82% of the people killed or injured on the M45, followed by occupants of goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes (5.6%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant118 (82%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)8 (5.6%)
  • Van occupant7 (4.9%)
  • Motorcyclist5 (3.5%)
  • Pedestrian3 (2.1%)
  • Minibus occupant2 (1.4%)
  • Other vehicle occupant1 (0.7%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car128 (80%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes18 (11%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes7 (4.3%)
  • Motorcycle4 (2.5%)
  • Minibus2 (1.2%)
  • Goods vehicle, weight unknown1 (0.6%)
  • Other vehicle1 (0.6%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 53 (2.1%)
  • 11 to 152 (1.4%)
  • 16 to 2033 (23%)
  • 21 to 2527 (19%)
  • 26 to 3530 (21%)
  • 36 to 4519 (13%)
  • 46 to 5521 (15%)
  • 56 to 656 (4.2%)
  • 66 to 752 (1.4%)
  • Over 751 (0.7%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider92 (64%)
  • Passenger49 (34%)
  • Pedestrian3 (2.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the M45

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the M45

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

M45 crashes by council area

Collisions on the M45 were recorded in 2 council areas. West Northamptonshire has the most, with 63, followed by Rugby (41).

Collisions on the M45 in each area, 1979 to 2024
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stWest Northamptonshire6390325
2ndRugby4151414

Recent crashes on the M45

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the M45, from 31 August 2009 to 19 November 2024.

Severity