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CrashStats

Bedford road accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 11,000 road traffic collisions in Bedford from 1979 to 2025, and 13,497 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 98 were fatal and 1,687 were serious.

In 2025 police recorded 137 collisions, up 5% on 2024 (131).

Collisions since 1979
11,000
106th highest of 2,851 towns
Casualties
13,497
1.23 per collision
Fatal collisions
98
102 people killed
Serious collisions
1,687
1,802 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
137
Up 5% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
164
Up 2% on 2024

Road collision statistics for Bedford

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal980.9%
  • Serious1,68715%
  • Slight9,21584%

What the data shows

  • Bedford had 1,577 collisions from 2016 to 2025, 20% fewer than the 1,982 from 2006 to 2015.
  • 16% of collisions in Bedford were fatal or serious, against 20% across Great Britain.
  • 1,827 children under 16 were killed or injured in Bedford, 14% of the casualties whose age was recorded.
  • The road surface was wet, icy, snowy or flooded in 30% of collisions in Bedford.

Where Bedford ranks among 2,851 towns

Most collisions
106th
Most casualties
109th
Most fatal collisions
123rd
Most serious collisions
115th

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday1,551 (14%)
  • Tuesday1,633 (15%)
  • Wednesday1,756 (16%)
  • Thursday1,652 (15%)
  • Friday1,837 (17%)
  • Saturday1,524 (14%)
  • Sunday1,047 (9.5%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight7,923 (72%)
  • Dark, street lights lit2,895 (26%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown91 (0.8%)
  • Dark, no street lighting59 (0.5%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit32 (0.3%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway9,004 (82%)
  • One way street or slip road840 (7.6%)
  • Roundabout750 (6.8%)
  • Dual carriageway347 (3.2%)
  • Not recorded59 (0.5%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 10 mph1 (under 0.1%)
  • 20 mph190 (1.7%)
  • 30 mph10,257 (93%)
  • 40 mph317 (2.9%)
  • 50 mph14 (0.1%)
  • 60 mph199 (1.8%)
  • 70 mph22 (0.2%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds9,099 (83%)
  • Raining, no high winds1,237 (11%)
  • Fine with high winds207 (1.9%)
  • Raining with high winds126 (1.1%)
  • Fog or mist49 (0.4%)
  • Snowing, no high winds48 (0.4%)
  • Snowing with high winds6 (0.1%)
  • Other177 (1.6%)
  • Not recorded51 (0.5%)

Who was hurt

  • Car occupant5,873 (44%)
  • Pedestrian2,815 (21%)
  • Cyclist2,319 (17%)
  • Motorcyclist1,794 (13%)
  • Bus or coach occupant241 (1.8%)
  • Van occupant195 (1.4%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant106 (0.8%)
  • Other vehicle occupant52 (0.4%)
  • Minibus occupant34 (0.3%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)29 (0.2%)
  • Other16 (0.1%)
  • Not recorded23 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Bedford road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Bedford, 1979 to 2025

Collisions in Bedford peaked at 373 in 1984; 2025 had 137.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 137
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025137164
2024131161
2023168207
2022154182
2021112143
2020136174
2019184233
2018175231
2017206247
2016174222
2015205258
2014221262
2013171206
2012210250
2011213270
2010205261
2009185234
2008200268
2007191232
2006181237
2005202245
2004198260
2003201266
2002209258
2001229310
2000238308
1999206251
1998254327
1997264339
1996256342
1995217270
1994232270
1993251311
1992263321
1991261317
1990297350
1989357418
1988307357
1987304376
1986282326
1985322384
1984373426
1983354408
1982345404
1981315360
1980354430
1979350421

Map of recent crashes in Bedford

Map of the 24 most recent crashes in Bedford

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

Recent road crashes in Bedford

The 24 most recent collisions in Bedford happened between 18 October and 20 December 2025.

Severity

Crashes by road in Bedford

The A6 has the most collisions in Bedford, 1,447 of 11,000 (13%), followed by the A428 (1,186).

Collisions in Bedford on each road, 1979 to 2025
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA61,4471,76716224
2ndA4281,1861,5048162
3rdA6008091,0308129
4thA5141699893288
5thB660304393359
6thA5140295363438
7thA603246340549
8thA4280245303232
9thA5134231288138
10thB531135177124
11thA4187184314
12thA421172002
13thA61414400

Council areas covering Bedford

Collisions in Bedford were recorded in 3 council areas. Bedford has 10,850 of 11,000 (99%).

Collisions in Bedford by council area, 1979 to 2025
RankCouncil areaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stBedford10,85013,310981,669
2ndCentral Bedfordshire139174016
3rdLuton111302

Postcode districts in Bedford

Collisions in Bedford were recorded in 4 postcode districts, led by MK40 (4,981) and MK42 (3,353).