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CrashStats

Preston road accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 18,949 road traffic collisions in Preston from 1979 to 2025, and 25,162 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 176 were fatal and 3,337 were serious.

In 2025 police recorded 221 collisions, up 4% on 2024 (212).

Collisions since 1979
18,949
70th highest of 2,851 towns
Casualties
25,162
1.33 per collision
Fatal collisions
176
180 people killed
Serious collisions
3,337
3,619 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
221
Up 4% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
276
Up 2% on 2024

Road collision statistics for Preston

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal1760.9%
  • Serious3,33718%
  • Slight15,43681%

What the data shows

  • Preston had 2,283 collisions from 2016 to 2025, 35% fewer than the 3,536 from 2006 to 2015.
  • 19% of collisions in Preston were fatal or serious, against 20% across Great Britain.
  • 4,074 children under 16 were killed or injured in Preston, 16% of the casualties whose age was recorded.
  • The road surface was wet, icy, snowy or flooded in 34% of collisions in Preston.

Where Preston ranks among 2,851 towns

Most collisions
70th
Most casualties
66th
Most fatal collisions
69th
Most serious collisions
68th

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday2,740 (14%)
  • Tuesday2,724 (14%)
  • Wednesday2,732 (14%)
  • Thursday2,847 (15%)
  • Friday3,243 (17%)
  • Saturday2,703 (14%)
  • Sunday1,960 (10%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight13,523 (71%)
  • Dark, street lights lit5,187 (27%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown117 (0.6%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit63 (0.3%)
  • Dark, no street lighting59 (0.3%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway14,984 (79%)
  • Dual carriageway2,436 (13%)
  • One way street or slip road1,095 (5.8%)
  • Roundabout340 (1.8%)
  • Not recorded94 (0.5%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 10 mph1 (under 0.1%)
  • 20 mph630 (3.3%)
  • 30 mph17,607 (93%)
  • 40 mph344 (1.8%)
  • 50 mph26 (0.1%)
  • 60 mph35 (0.2%)
  • 70 mph302 (1.6%)
  • Not recorded4 (under 0.1%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds15,328 (81%)
  • Raining, no high winds2,874 (15%)
  • Fine with high winds179 (0.9%)
  • Raining with high winds169 (0.9%)
  • Snowing, no high winds75 (0.4%)
  • Fog or mist28 (0.1%)
  • Snowing with high winds4 (under 0.1%)
  • Other103 (0.5%)
  • Not recorded189 (1%)

Who was hurt

  • Car occupant12,765 (51%)
  • Pedestrian5,517 (22%)
  • Cyclist2,188 (8.7%)
  • Motorcyclist2,086 (8.3%)
  • Bus or coach occupant1,243 (4.9%)
  • Van occupant568 (2.3%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant486 (1.9%)
  • Minibus occupant118 (0.5%)
  • Other vehicle occupant79 (0.3%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)75 (0.3%)
  • Other22 (0.1%)
  • Not recorded15 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Preston road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Preston, 1979 to 2025

Collisions in Preston peaked at 589 in 1994; 2025 had 221.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 221
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025221276
2024212270
2023239306
2022213277
2021216293
2020175236
2019218269
2018271358
2017252342
2016266352
2015254359
2014299396
2013244324
2012317425
2011324434
2010343494
2009415571
2008428592
2007452616
2006460644
2005473646
2004472652
2003449568
2002467675
2001563820
2000519754
1999520775
1998545771
1997562776
1996571811
1995550777
1994589788
1993498667
1992510657
1991510635
1990519673
1989464600
1988437528
1987441542
1986332402
1985442545
1984465557
1983433509
1982443523
1981437558
1980445541
1979474578

Map of recent crashes in Preston

Map of the 24 most recent crashes in Preston

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

Recent road crashes in Preston

The 24 most recent collisions in Preston happened between 10 December and 28 December 2025.

Severity

Crashes by road in Preston

The A5085 has the most collisions in Preston, 2,168 of 18,949 (11%), followed by the A6 (1,946).

Collisions in Preston on each road, 1979 to 2025
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA50852,1683,10424382
2ndA61,9462,68016300
3rdA591,7142,26723345
4thB62431,2631,63613280
5thA5831,0411,41811160
6thA60635417141100
7thA5072397524260
8thM6285493448
9thA5071207265047
10thB6241172246135
11thB6242164201226
12thB5411120169518
13thB5258374005
14thA582324412
15thM55101802
16thA508391200
17thA5856700
18thB52546702
19thA14702
20thA50654500
21stA50583501

Council areas covering Preston

Collisions in Preston were recorded in 4 council areas. Preston has 18,844 of 18,949 (99%).

Collisions in Preston by council area, 1979 to 2025
RankCouncil areaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stPreston18,84425,0131733,323
2ndRibble Valley71102110
3rdSouth Ribble273723
4thWyre3300

Postcode districts in Preston

Collisions in Preston were recorded in 6 postcode districts, led by PR1 (12,749) and PR2 (6,168).