In time for Road Safety Week 2019, new research by Manchester-based fuel supplier Crown Oil into five years’ worth of the Government’s road accident figures up to 2018 reveals that Powys tops a list of the 20 most deadly places in Britain to drive.
The data from the Department for Transport shows that, when accounting for population, Powys had the most fatalities on its roads during 2013 and 2018, with a frightening 8 losses of life per year.
Project manager, Crown Oil, Dave Webb said: ”The figures are frightening and highlight the importance of taking care on the roads, especially as we head into winter. With shorter days and longer nights, drivers experience reduced visibility and poor grip from wet and icy roads.”
Mr Webb added: “There’s no real secret to driving safely. At Crown Oil, our fleet takes road safety seriously and we advise our drivers to keep within speed limits and keep a safe distance behind the vehicle in front. We regularly update our fleet to ensure the utmost safety of our drivers when they are out making deliveries.”
20 Deadliest Regions for UK Drivers
| Local Authority | Av. annual fatal accidents | Population | Av. annual fatal accidents per 100,000 people |
| Powys | 10.6 | 132,447 | 8.00 |
| East Lindsey | 10.6 | 140,741 | 7.53 |
| Perth and Kinross | 10.8 | 151,290 | 7.14 |
| Highland | 16.4 | 235,540 | 6.96 |
| Aberdeenshire | 14.2 | 261,470 | 5.43 |
| Cheshire East | 16.4 | 380,790 | 4.31 |
| Northumberland | 13.2 | 319,000 | 4.14 |
| East Riding of Yorkshire | 13.4 | 339,614 | 3.95 |
| Central Bedfordshire | 10.8 | 283,606 | 3.81 |
| Doncaster | 10.8 | 310,542 | 3.48 |
| Cornwall | 19 | 563,600 | 3.37 |
| Leeds | 15.2 | 474,632 | 3.20 |
| Cheshire West and Chester | 10.8 | 340,502 | 3.17 |
| Shropshire | 15.2 | 493,200 | 3.08 |
| Wiltshire | 22 | 716,400 | 3.07 |
| Sheffield | 11.2 | 518,090 | 2.16 |
| County Durham | 17.8 | 862,000 | 2.06 |
| Manchester | 10.8 | 534,982 | 2.02 |
| Birmingham | 19.8 | 1,086,000 | 1.82 |
Total fatalities on UK roads
Fatalities on British roads have also been largely consistent over the last 5-years, around the 1,700 mark. Government’s 2018 report says: 30% drop compared to 2008.
| Year | Fatal Accidents | % difference |
| 2018 | 1784 | -1% |
| 2017 | 1793 | 0% |
| 2016 | 1792 | 4% |
| 2015 | 1730 | -3% |
| 2014 | 1775 | |
| Compared with 2014 | 1% |
Total accidents on UK roads
Meanwhile, total accidents have been decreasing over the last 5-years, positive news for drivers.
| Year | Total road accidents | % difference |
| 2018 | 122,635 | -6% |
| 2017 | 129,982 | -5% |
| 2016 | 136,621 | -2% |
| 2015 | 140,056 | -4% |
| 2014 | 146,322 | |
| Compared with 2014 | -16% |
Total number of vehicles involved in accidents
The number of vehicles involved in accidents follows a similar trend, as one would expect, although well over 200,000 vehicles being involved in accidents is still a scary thought.
| Year | Total number of vehicles in accidents | % difference |
| 2018 | 226409 | -5% |
| 2017 | 238926 | -5% |
| 2016 | 252500 | -2% |
| 2015 | 257848 | -4% |
| 2014 | 268527 | NA |
| Compared with 2014 | -16% |
Crown Oil was also able to unearth the largest accident in each year (i.e number of vehicles attributed to one accident), with a fatal 37-vehicle, 36-casualty accident on the M40 on the 14 February 2015 being the most vehicles recorded in a single accident in the last five years. 2018 saw a 24-car crash which involved a bus driving into parked cars – fortunately, despite multiple injuries, it was not fatal.
