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CrashStats

M5 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 15,389 collisions on the M5 from 1979 to 2025, with 25,435 casualties. Of those crashes, 490 were fatal and 2,475 serious, and 583 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 177 collisions on the M5, up 9% from 162 in 2024, with 258 casualties.

Live M5 closures, incidents and roadworks are checked every 5 minutes.

Collisions since 1979
15,389
46th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
25,435
1.65 per collision
Fatal collisions
490
583 people killed
Serious collisions
2,475
3,430 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
177
Up 9% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
258
Up 5% on 2024

Crash severity on the M5

On the M5, 3.2% of collisions were fatal and 16% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal4903.2%
  • Serious2,47516%
  • Slight12,42481%

Where the M5 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
46th
Most casualties
37th
Most fatal collisions
25th
Most serious collisions
51st

M5 accidents by year

Collisions on the M5 peaked at 513 in 2004 and were down to 177 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the M5, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 177
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025177258
2024162246
2023170264
2022136217
2021155224
2020121178
2019191308
2018223378
2017236396
2016263456
2015250392
2014241434
2013248432
2012267482
2011288538
2010330505
2009411708
2008391602
2007496792
2006441720
2005493793
2004513812
2003504797
2002465752
2001467811
2000444746
1999492768
1998459716
1997448767
1996382583
1995373591
1994348643
1993340536
1992315510
1991345501
1990371642
1989338560
1988313549
1987310535
1986330615
1985332595
1984276452
1983297597
1982289482
1981331530
1980314502
1979303520

When crashes happen on the M5

Friday has the most collisions on the M5 (3,109), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (3,436).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday2,225 (14%)
  • Tuesday1,800 (12%)
  • Wednesday1,753 (11%)
  • Thursday1,985 (13%)
  • Friday3,109 (20%)
  • Saturday2,434 (16%)
  • Sunday2,083 (14%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am812 (5.3%)
  • 3am to 6am810 (5.3%)
  • 6am to 9am2,023 (13%)
  • 9am to noon2,392 (16%)
  • Noon to 3pm3,059 (20%)
  • 3pm to 6pm3,436 (22%)
  • 6pm to 9pm1,922 (12%)
  • 9pm to midnight935 (6.1%)

Collisions by month

  • January1,012 (6.6%)
  • February933 (6.1%)
  • March1,047 (6.8%)
  • April1,085 (7.1%)
  • May1,346 (8.7%)
  • June1,305 (8.5%)
  • July1,632 (11%)
  • August1,733 (11%)
  • September1,363 (8.9%)
  • October1,387 (9%)
  • November1,288 (8.4%)
  • December1,258 (8.2%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight11,169 (73%)
  • Dark, no street lighting2,267 (15%)
  • Dark, street lights lit1,761 (11%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown117 (0.8%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit62 (0.4%)
  • Not recorded13 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in M5 crashes

On the M5, 93% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 70 mph and 68% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 10 mph3 (under 0.1%)
  • 20 mph2 (under 0.1%)
  • 30 mph123 (0.8%)
  • 40 mph116 (0.8%)
  • 50 mph460 (3%)
  • 60 mph325 (2.1%)
  • 70 mph14,357 (93%)
  • Not recorded3 (under 0.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds11,799 (77%)
  • Raining, no high winds2,006 (13%)
  • Raining with high winds423 (2.7%)
  • Fine with high winds368 (2.4%)
  • Other649 (4.2%)
  • Not recorded144 (0.9%)

Road surface

  • Dry10,440 (68%)
  • Wet or damp4,580 (30%)
  • Frost or ice172 (1.1%)
  • Snow111 (0.7%)
  • Other62 (0.4%)
  • Not recorded24 (0.2%)

Type of road

  • Dual carriageway13,729 (89%)
  • One way street or slip road848 (5.5%)
  • Roundabout391 (2.5%)
  • Single carriageway316 (2.1%)
  • Not recorded105 (0.7%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in M5 crashes

Car occupants make up 82% of the people killed or injured on the M5, followed by occupants of goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes (5.1%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant20,779 (82%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)1,292 (5.1%)
  • Van occupant1,224 (4.8%)
  • Motorcyclist938 (3.7%)
  • Bus or coach occupant432 (1.7%)
  • Minibus occupant317 (1.2%)
  • Other452 (1.8%)
  • Not recorded1 (under 0.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car25,318 (77%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes4,035 (12%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes1,815 (5.6%)
  • Motorcycle831 (2.5%)
  • Other vehicle221 (0.7%)
  • Bus or coach170 (0.5%)
  • Other261 (0.8%)
  • Not recorded19 (0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 5540 (2.1%)
  • 6 to 10738 (2.9%)
  • 11 to 15800 (3.1%)
  • 16 to 202,677 (11%)
  • 21 to 253,618 (14%)
  • 26 to 355,560 (22%)
  • 36 to 454,138 (16%)
  • 46 to 553,237 (13%)
  • 56 to 652,267 (8.9%)
  • 66 to 751,137 (4.5%)
  • Over 75559 (2.2%)
  • Not recorded164 (0.6%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider14,627 (58%)
  • Passenger10,555 (41%)
  • Pedestrian253 (1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the M5

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the M5

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

M5 crashes by council area

Collisions on the M5 were recorded in 19 council areas. Somerset has the most, with 2,414, followed by North Somerset (1,801) and Wychavon (1,743).

Collisions on the M5 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stSomerset2,4144,100101386
2ndNorth Somerset1,8013,10857261
3rdWychavon1,7432,94745274
4thSouth Gloucestershire1,6512,68242229
5thStroud1,2352,06749235
6thTewkesbury1,1621,87148191
7thSandwell1,1611,80827165
8thBromsgrove1,0331,65328168
9thMid Devon8921,48332161
10thMalvern Hills6151,05222131
11thEast Devon4627251394
12thBristol461748568
13thDudley247422841
14thExeter217315323
15thWorcester137211619
16thTeignbridge102149417
17thWalsall131700
18thGloucester112402
19thBirmingham101502

M5 crashes by town

Collisions on the M5 were recorded in 24 towns and built-up areas, led by Oldbury, Sandwell (255) and West Bromwich (240).

Recent crashes on the M5

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the M5, from 31 October to 30 December 2025.

Severity