Durham road traffic accidents
Durham recorded 2,223 collisions in the STATS19 data between 1999 and 2025, involving 2,993 casualties. Of these collisions, 20 were fatal and 257 were serious. Recorded collisions in 2025 were up 20% on 2024.
Severity Breakdown
- Fatal
- 20
- Serious
- 257
- Casualties
- 2,993
- Fatal
- 20
- Serious
- 257
- Casualties
- 2,993
Collisions by Year
Areas covering Durham
Roads in Durham
Postcode districts in Durham
Planning applications nearby
Data from PlanIndex, an index of UK planning registers.
Data from PlanIndex, an index of UK planning registers.
Accidents in Durham
Road collision statistics for Durham
Collisions recorded
2,223
Police-reported road traffic collisions captured in the STATS19 data.
People injured or killed
2,993
Casualties recorded across every collision in this area.
Fatal collisions
20
Collisions in which at least one person died.
Serious collisions
257
12.5% of collisions here ended in a death or serious injury.
Severity of collisions
What the data shows in Durham
Collisions in Durham are most frequently recorded on a Friday (17.5% of the total), with 24.8% happening in darkness rather than daylight. The most common posted speed limit at the scene is 30 mph.
77% of recorded collisions in Durham happen on a single carriageway. Around 15.3% were recorded in adverse weather such as rain, snow or fog.
The collisions in Durham have produced 2,993 casualties. Pedestrians account for 20.2% of those casualties, a marker of the risk to people on foot here.
Collisions by day of the week
Collisions by day of the week: Sunday 177 collisions, Monday 329 collisions, Tuesday 332 collisions, Wednesday 347 collisions, Thursday 342 collisions, Friday 390 collisions, Saturday 306 collisions.
Light conditions
Light conditions: Daylight 1,672 collisions, Darkness 551 collisions.
Road type
Road type: Single carriageway 1,711 collisions, Roundabout 274 collisions, Dual carriageway 188 collisions, One way street 24 collisions, Slip road 13 collisions, One way street/Slip road 10 collisions, Unknown 3 collisions.
Speed limit at the scene
Speed limit at the scene: 20 mph 10 collisions, 30 mph 1,680 collisions, 40 mph 396 collisions, 50 mph 6 collisions, 60 mph 69 collisions, 70 mph 62 collisions.
Weather at the time
Weather at the time: Fine no high winds 1,856 collisions, Raining no high winds 275 collisions, Fine + high winds 27 collisions, Other 17 collisions, Snowing no high winds 15 collisions.
Who was hurt
Who was hurt: Driver or rider 1,555 casualties, Passenger 833 casualties, Pedestrian 605 casualties.
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Recent Accidents
Showing 3 of 2,223 accidents
Accident 1999119BD0115
SlightAccident 1999119BD0076
SlightAccident 1999119BD0092
SeriousFrequently asked questions about road accidents in Durham
How many road accidents have there been in Durham?
2,223 collisions have been recorded in Durham in the STATS19 road safety data between 1999 and 2025, involving 2,993 casualties.
How many of the collisions in Durham were serious or fatal?
20 were fatal and 257 were serious — 12.5% of all recorded collisions in Durham resulted in a death or serious injury.
When do most road accidents happen in Durham?
Friday is the most common day for collisions in Durham, accounting for 17.5% of them, and 24.8% of all collisions here happen in darkness.
What kind of roads do collisions in Durham happen on?
77% of collisions in Durham are recorded on a single carriageway, most often where the limit is 30 mph.
Are pedestrians often hurt in collisions in Durham?
Pedestrians make up 20.2% of the 2,993 casualties recorded in Durham.
Is road safety in Durham getting better or worse?
Recorded collisions in Durham rose 20% in 2025 compared with 2024. Year-on-year figures move with both genuine risk and changes in reporting, so they are best read as a trend rather than a single verdict.
Where does the road accident data for Durham come from?
It comes from STATS19, the official record of personal-injury road collisions reported to the police and published by the Department for Transport. The figures for Durham cover 1999 to 2025.