Britain's most dangerous roads

Britain's roads may be getting a little safer, but there are still some familiar locations at the top of the country's table of most dangerous highways.

The AA Motoring Trust says its annual analysis of the road accident records reveals that even some of the recognised high-risk stretches are improving over time.

But the worst few still produce up to 10 times as many fatal or serious accidents as the safest.

The trust's latest report, based on accident statistics for 2001-3, uses a system established by the European Road Assessment Programme, and reveals the British risk rate to be one of the lowest in Europe.

Click the links on the map to discover more details about Britain's five most dangerous roads.

A682 LANCS AND NORTH YORKS BORDER

• 24km
• Fatal/serious collisions 1998-2000 - 27
• 2001-03 - 27 (No change)
• Fatal and serious collision rate - 266/bn vehicle km
• Most common collision type - head-on (36%)

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A54 CONGLETON TO BUXTON

EUROPE ROAD DEATHS Death-crash rates per billion vehicle km (single carriageways) GB - 12.4 Sweden - 7.7 Spain - 23.2 Source: EuroRAP 1998-2002

• 24km
• Fatal/serious collisions 1998-2000 - 17
• 2001-03 - 20 (+18%)
• Fatal and serious collision rate - 195/bn vehicle km
• Most common collision type - running off road (35%)

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A84 CENTRAL SCOTLAND

• 44km
• Fatal/serious collisions 1998-2000 - 38
• 2001-03 - 29 (-24%)
• Fatal and serious collision rate - 156/bn vehicle km
• Most common collision type - head-on (45%)

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A59 SKIPTON TO HARROGATE, NORTH YORKS

SAFER ROADS 30% fewer high/medium-risk roads since 2002 Significant reduction in fatal or serious crashes on 18 roads Better engineering has helped cut crashes or their impact Source: AA Motoring Trust

• 30km
• Fatal/serious collisions 1998-2000 - 45
• 2001-03 - 36 (-20%)
• Fatal and serious collision rate - 152/bn vehicle km
• Most common collision type - junctions (51%)

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A53 LEEK TO BUXTON, STAFFS/DERBYSHIRE BORDER

• 20km
• Fatal/serious collisions 1998-2000 - 18
• 2001-03 - 16 (-11%)
• Fatal and serious collision rate - 151/bn vehicle km
• Most common collision type - running off road (50%)

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