Stretch of road between Peterborough and Crowland saw highest number of fatal road collisions
There were 39 casualties of collisions on this stretch of road in just five years
A five mile stretch of road between Peterborough and Crowland has seen the highest number of fatal collisions in the area, according to new data.
Cutting through picturesque countryside, the A16 – from the roundabout with Peterborough Road and James Road, down to the roundabout with Thorney Road – offers good visibility, being relatively straight.
Despite this, it has seen the highest concentration of fatal traffic collisions in the Peterborough area in recent years.
Using data from the Department for Transport, Crashmap.co.uk has published details on collisions across the area.
The figures we look at here cover the most recent data available - between 2019 and 2023.
They show there have been six fatal collisions and seven serious collisions along this short stretch of the A16 during this time. Additionally, there were nine collisions recorded as involving ‘slight’ injuries.
Collectively, these 21 crashes resulted in a total of 39 casualties being recorded.
Three of the fatal collisions occurred in just one area of this five-mile stretch of the A16 – located just north of a lay-by. Two people lost their lives in separate collisions here in February 2020, with another tragically dying a year earlier, in January 2019.
Road safety expert Richard Owen, from UK company Agilysis – which provides solutions for transport safety and behaviour - said: “Rural roads, such as the A16, are the highest risk roads in the UK. Nearly twice as many people are killed on rural roads compared to roads in towns and cities, and more than ten times more than on motorways.
"The main reason for this is speed and the chance of hitting oncoming vehicles or objects at the side of the road. But these roads are essential for many people in getting around so it is important to slow down and give everyone time and space in case anything goes wrong.”
A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police added: "It is devastating for our officers to tell families that their loved one has been killed or seriously injured in a crash.
“The fatal five causes of collisions on our roads include not wearing a seatbelt, drivers using their phone or being distracted behind the wheel, drink and drug driving, speeding and careless driving.
“Every single week our officers are called to collisions where the above were factors and the accident could have simply been avoided; lives could have been saved.
“Our message is simple, please do not risk your life or the lives of others. Drive carefully to the conditions of the road, and considering other road users, to make sure you arrive back home to your family safely.”
Road safety advice, information and support can be found on our dedicated web pages.