The UK’s safest roads to drive on for van drivers revealed

Whether you’re driving down a motorway or navigating a winding B road, driving in the UK can look very different from one journey to the next. However, each individual road presents its own challenges – from high speeds and traffic on motorways to potholes and sharp bends on B roads. Both roads can pose significant safety concerns making it important for drivers to know where the safest routes are.

 

Road safety remained high on the Government’s agenda this year, following a Road Safety Strategy launch in January 2026, which set out to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035.

 

With this in mind, we have assessed Britain’s motorways and B roads to identify those which are safest, analysing everything from collision data, traffic levels, speed cameras and speed limits. By comparing these factors across the country’s busiest roads, we’ve highlighted the routes with the strongest safety records as well as those where drivers may need to take a little extra care.

 

Rank	Road name	Road length (miles)	Average daily traffic (AADT)	Collisions per 100 million vehicle-miles	% of fatal collisions	% of serious collisions	Avg speed limit (mph)	Speed camera per 10 miles	Score (/100)
1	M56	37.5	97818	4.26	0.7%	20.0%	68	11.73	19.5
2	M54	24.8	35674	4.15	1.5%	22.4%	68	0	31.0
3	M25	118.4	132754	8.52	1.2%	14.9%	67	4.22	31.3
4	M1	203.4	98443	5.51	2.5%	15.9%	67	2.11	33.8
5	M4	196.5	90328	3.66	3.6%	14.6%	63	1.42	34.2
6	M42	44.8	74351	4.46	1.8%	24.0%	68	1.12	34.8
7	M60	37.8	124807	5.13	2.9%	15.4%	66	1.32	35.0
8	M5	169.5	89997	2.98	3.2%	19.2%	68	0.3	35.5
9	M80	25.8	35601	4.95	2.4%	19.3%	67	0	35.6
10	M27	32.1	97329	7.09	1.7%	20.3%	65	1.56	36.1
11	M20	51.4	59134	7.91	2.1%	16.4%	66	3.11	36.6
12	M3	62.5	82135	6.64	1.6%	21.4%	68	0.64	36.6
13	M180	25.7	42605	4.9	3.1%	17.3%	66	0	37.4
14	M6	246.4	93598	4.43	3.1%	19.0%	68	0.97	37.8
15	M62	103.3	95016	5.28	2.9%	20.3%	68	0.48	39.9
16	M18	29.3	65282	5.44	3.2%	18.4%	68	0	40.7
17	M90	43.1	41413	3.38	1.8%	35.5%	69	1.39	42.0
18	M53	22.3	54712	4.36	4.1%	17.5%	66	0	42.6
19	M11	56.8	61823	8.69	2.3%	18.1%	67	0.7	42.9
20	M61	24.8	81580	6.39	2.5%	25.8%	68	0	45.7
21	M2	28.7	71671	9.4	2.3%	23.2%	68	0	49.1
22	M40	90.9	85732	3.02	4.9%	23.3%	69	0	49.5
23	M65	29	54724	11.26	2.5%	20.6%	68	0	52.5
24	M8	67	65078	5.29	4.5%	27.1%	61	3.58	52.9
25	A74(M)	49.7	37901	0.0259	4.5%	38.2%	70	0.2	53.0
26	M74	42.5	48989	4.74	3.9%	30.6%	65	0	53.2
27	M50	21.9	24633	5.38	3.8%	30.2%	68	0	54.4
28	A1	156.5	55755	16.5	1.7%	19.1%	47	0.38	54.8
29	M9	31.5	42275	2.55	3.2%	43.5%	67	0	55.6

 

Our study ranks the M56 as the UK’s safest motorway, with an index score of just 19.5. Despite being one of the busiest commuter routes in the North of England, with over 97,818 motorists each day, the route records just 4.26 collisions per 100 million vehicle-miles. It also has the most speed cameras according to our findings, at 11.73. The M54 takes second place with an overall index score of 31.0. Stretching over 24.8 miles, the motorway sees over 35,674 cars daily, yet despite it being one of the safest motorways, the M54 has no fixed speed cameras according to our findings, unable to observe driver behaviour. At the other end of our rankings is the M9, connecting Edinburgh to Dunblane with a road length of 31.5 miles. The road sees over 42,275 motorists each day, while 43.5% of its reported collisions are classified as serious.

 

Patric Riley, UK Operations Director at commercial vehicle hire specialist, Northgate Vehicle Hire, shares his thoughts on how to stay safe while driving on motorways:

 

“While motorways are generally one of the safest roads to drive on, drivers shouldn’t let the standard of the road give them a false sense of security. Although there are no cyclists or pedestrians to contend with and traffic generally moves freely drivers can often fall into a false sense of security.

 

The reality is that certain motorway routes can still present significant risks, particularly when you’re dealing with high speeds, changes in traffic flow, and busy junctions. When something goes wrong at motorway speeds, you have much less time to react, so it's incredibly important to stay alert and avoid complacency, even if you know the route well. Whether you’re travelling for work or heading out with family, taking your time and staying focused is critical.

 

If you know the route well or drive regularly, . I’d actually exercise more caution as it’s easy to become over confident and let things slip. You might know the road or drive all the time, but you can’t always control the environment, which can change at a drop of a hat.”

 

The UK’s safest B roads

 

B roads across the UK play an essential role in connecting villages, towns, and rural areas, but their varied speed limits, layouts, and traffic can create different challenges for drivers. From busy urban routes to more rural roads, we’ve analysed which B roads pose the lowest risks to motorists.

 

Rank	Road name	Road length (miles)	Average daily traffic (AADT)	Collisions per 100 million vehicle-miles	% of collisions that were fatal	% of collisions that were serious	Avg speed limit (mph)	Index Score (/100)
1	B4186	2.39	20211	22.67	0.00%	15.00%	30	14.0
2	B684	9.57	18840	26.42	0.00%	14.90%	32	16.8
3	B5465	2.13	14657	24.56	0.00%	21.40%	31	20.6
4	B462	4.58	15387	39.63	0.00%	9.80%	33	20.7
5	B1405	8.66	22767	14.16	2.00%	23.50%	34	21.5
6	B1013	6.13	22320	25.61	0.00%	21.90%	33	22.3
7	B3440	3.7	16361	49.75	0.00%	5.50%	31	22.4
8	B6068	2.34	15819	19.23	0.00%	30.80%	32	25.3
9	B1334	2.6	15447	40.9	0.00%	13.30%	37	25.8
10	B4034	13.7	26011	15.98	0.00%	24.00%	55	26.6
11	B1380	8.3	19889	21.89	1.50%	27.30%	33	27.7
12	B1396	11.65	16645	13.27	0.00%	34.00%	41	27.8
13	B4082	4.2	20296	38.54	1.70%	16.70%	32	28.8
14	B573	7.81	15529	16.71	2.70%	29.70%	36	30.3
15	B1018	33.06	15695	14.14	3.70%	28.40%	43	32.5
16	B4138	5.42	15939	39.3	0.00%	27.40%	31	33.9
17	B4124	10.43	14860	59.35	0.60%	13.10%	30	35.0
18	B6241	7.17	19380	27.98	0.00%	36.60%	34	35.9
19	B5171	3.45	15075	43.17	2.40%	22.00%	32	37.4
20	B278	6.5	15744	58.86	1.80%	16.40%	28	39.2
21	B1233	4.7	14854	73.73	1.10%	8.50%	30	40.7
22	B425	3.37	17699.5	57.83	0.00%	25.40%	30	42.7
23	B6159	6.8	16879	64.88	0.70%	19.10%	31	43.7
24	B4121	5.17	16286	70.24	0.90%	14.80%	32	44.1
25	B1453	1.31	15502	72.8	0.00%	18.50%	29	45.5
26	B6145	6.01	15460	67.77	0.90%	21.70%	30	47.4
27	B7071	7.35	19321	13.11	11.80%	32.40%	33	48.4
28	B2149	5.65	14875	69.71	1.90%	20.60%	36	51.9
29	B3068	6.87	16528	81.98	0.00%	19.40%	30	51.9
30	B2190	1.57	15354	24.99	9.10%	27.30%	55	53.7

 

The B4186 ranks as the safest B road in the UK, running through the Stourbridge area of the West Midlands. Despite its relatively high traffic levels (20,211), the road witnesses 22.67 collisions per 100 million vehicle-miles.

 

The B684 is the second safest B road in the UK with an index score of 16.82. Covering areas of Nottingham, Mapperley, Woodthorpe and Dorket Head, the 9.57 route reports 26.42 collisions per 100 million vehicle-miles.

 

The B5465 is the third safest B road with a score of 20.58. One of the shortest B roads explored at 2.13 miles, the route runs through the Cheadle Heath and Stockport areas of Greater Manchester. It recorded 24.56 collisions per 100 million vehicle-miles.

 

While these three routes rank among the safest B roads in the UK, it’s essential to stay cautious, as journeys on B roads can take drivers through a variety of environments, including busy urban areas and quieter rural stretches. If your route takes you through the countryside, watch for slow-moving vehicles such as tractors, especially around sharp bends and junctions, and be prepared for wildlife or livestock to enter the road. Rural and semi-rural roads also bring additional challenges such as decreased visibility due to poor street lighting and narrow lanes.

 

The most dangerous B road in the UK is the B2190, with an index score of 53.7. Its combination of collision severity and frequency puts it at the top of our list. The B2190 runs through Kent, on the Isle of Thanet, and runs between the A299 at Minster-in-Thanet and the B2050 at Manston. Stretching just 1.57 miles, the road sees an average of 15,354 vehicles each day and records 24.99 collisions per 100 million vehicle-miles. Despite its relatively short length, 27.3% of its collisions are classified as serious.

 

Patric Riley, UK Operations Director at commercial vehicle hire specialist, Northgate Vehicle Hire, shares his thoughts on our findings:

 

“It’s easy to assume that B roads are safer because they generally have a lower speed limit than motorways, but our findings highlight that this isn’t always the case. B roads can vary from one stretch to another, moving from built-up urban areas to more rural areas in a matter of minutes, which brings additional risks.

 

Rural B roads can be less predictable, running through winding landscapes rather than a more direct route. Rural routes often have fewer cues about what’s ahead, so it’s essential to stay vigilant and not assuming that a quieter stretch means an easier drive.

 

In both urban and rural areas, the biggest risks come from how a road is used, rather than how fast you’re travelling, with busy junctions and heavy traffic creating potential hazards. Planning for your route in advance, adjusting your speed and giving yourself plenty of space while driving can help you adapt to road conditions.”

 

 

Methodology

 

We analysed every UK motorway over 20 miles long, along with the 30 B roads with the highest Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT). We sourced road length and AADT data from the Government road traffic data download, B road lengths from Streetlist, collision data and speed limits from UK Traffic Updates, speed camera data from Speedcams UK, and road length and AADT data from the Department for Transport. Our analysis covers five years of collision data, as well as traffic levels, road length, collision severity, speed camera coverage and average speed limits. The weighted scores were combined and converted into an overall score out of 100, with higher scores indicating more dangerous roads based on the measures analysed. The data was collected on 21^st August 2026.