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CrashStats

M56 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 4,646 collisions on the M56 from 1979 to 2025, with 7,468 casualties. Of those crashes, 98 were fatal and 576 serious, and 117 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 62 collisions on the M56, up 32% from 47 in 2024, with 95 casualties.

Live M56 closures, incidents and roadworks are checked every 5 minutes.

Collisions since 1979
4,646
224th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
7,468
1.61 per collision
Fatal collisions
98
117 people killed
Serious collisions
576
724 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
62
Up 32% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
95
Up 34% on 2024

Crash severity on the M56

On the M56, 2.1% of collisions were fatal and 12% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal982.1%
  • Serious57612%
  • Slight3,97285%

Where the M56 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
224th
Most casualties
182nd
Most fatal collisions
217th
Most serious collisions
356th

M56 accidents by year

Collisions on the M56 peaked at 170 in 2006 and were down to 62 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the M56, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20256295
20244771
20235881
20225779
20215475
20204566
201979141
201870125
201770110
201673125
201582145
201489142
2013111193
201287153
201191164
201099187
2009108185
2008116190
2007131184
2006170269
2005135208
2004147253
2003139231
2002137226
2001132214
2000143236
1999145251
1998162251
1997142246
1996124223
1995108171
1994120191
1993125178
1992128188
1991100168
1990101158
198995141
198881101
198795138
198671111
198587147
198482131
198375126
198298142
198169116
19806183
19794559

When crashes happen on the M56

Friday has the most collisions on the M56 (806), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (1,187).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday732 (16%)
  • Tuesday635 (14%)
  • Wednesday653 (14%)
  • Thursday692 (15%)
  • Friday806 (17%)
  • Saturday564 (12%)
  • Sunday564 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am207 (4.5%)
  • 3am to 6am165 (3.6%)
  • 6am to 9am782 (17%)
  • 9am to noon653 (14%)
  • Noon to 3pm698 (15%)
  • 3pm to 6pm1,187 (26%)
  • 6pm to 9pm643 (14%)
  • 9pm to midnight311 (6.7%)

Collisions by month

  • January412 (8.9%)
  • February327 (7%)
  • March339 (7.3%)
  • April351 (7.6%)
  • May371 (8%)
  • June385 (8.3%)
  • July408 (8.8%)
  • August463 (10%)
  • September374 (8%)
  • October433 (9.3%)
  • November405 (8.7%)
  • December378 (8.1%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight3,329 (72%)
  • Dark, no street lighting682 (15%)
  • Dark, street lights lit562 (12%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit41 (0.9%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown32 (0.7%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in M56 crashes

On the M56, 96% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 70 mph and 58% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph45 (1%)
  • 40 mph24 (0.5%)
  • 50 mph87 (1.9%)
  • 60 mph24 (0.5%)
  • 70 mph4,466 (96%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds3,382 (73%)
  • Raining, no high winds827 (18%)
  • Raining with high winds121 (2.6%)
  • Fine with high winds95 (2%)
  • Other181 (3.9%)
  • Not recorded40 (0.9%)

Road surface

  • Dry2,685 (58%)
  • Wet or damp1,837 (40%)
  • Frost or ice67 (1.4%)
  • Snow34 (0.7%)
  • Other15 (0.3%)
  • Not recorded8 (0.2%)

Type of road

  • Dual carriageway3,982 (86%)
  • One way street or slip road461 (9.9%)
  • Single carriageway86 (1.9%)
  • Roundabout76 (1.6%)
  • Not recorded41 (0.9%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in M56 crashes

Car occupants make up 83% of the people killed or injured on the M56, followed by van occupants (5.9%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant6,167 (83%)
  • Van occupant444 (5.9%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)300 (4%)
  • Motorcyclist226 (3%)
  • Minibus occupant150 (2%)
  • Pedestrian76 (1%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant59 (0.8%)
  • Other46 (0.6%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car7,745 (78%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes1,050 (11%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes711 (7.1%)
  • Motorcycle219 (2.2%)
  • Minibus69 (0.7%)
  • Taxi or private hire car64 (0.6%)
  • Other108 (1.1%)
  • Not recorded9 (0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 5149 (2%)
  • 6 to 10188 (2.5%)
  • 11 to 15217 (2.9%)
  • 16 to 20672 (9%)
  • 21 to 251,146 (15%)
  • 26 to 351,878 (25%)
  • 36 to 451,340 (18%)
  • 46 to 55947 (13%)
  • 56 to 65578 (7.7%)
  • 66 to 75244 (3.3%)
  • Over 75102 (1.4%)
  • Not recorded7 (0.1%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider4,763 (64%)
  • Passenger2,629 (35%)
  • Pedestrian76 (1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the M56

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the M56

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

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

M56 crashes by council area

Collisions on the M56 were recorded in 7 council areas. Cheshire West and Chester has the most, with 1,280, followed by Cheshire East (1,101) and Manchester (1,026).

Collisions on the M56 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stCheshire West and Chester1,2802,13626157
2ndCheshire East1,1011,78021146
3rdManchester1,0261,53018105
4thWarrington5459311379
5thHalton4537221468
6thTrafford124196314
7thStockport11617237

M56 crashes by town

Collisions on the M56 were recorded in 8 towns and built-up areas, led by Wythenshawe (100) and Hale, Trafford (75).

Recent crashes on the M56

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the M56, from 16 August to 27 December 2025.

Severity