Accidents on the M5 can happen at any time, so trying to avoid the traffic jams caused by them is not as easy as trying to avoid planned roadworks. The M5 traffic website aims to help you be aware of M5 accidents and the delays they cause, based on official information provided by National Highways and updated at least every 5 minutes, 365 days of the year, 24 hours a day.

You can filter M5 news based on the direction and between what junctions of the M5 your journey will take you. The overhead messages page and our all news page provide even more detail about M5 traffic delays, congestion and incidents that could delay or affect your journey.

The M5 was the 5th worst motorway in Britain for fatal or serious accidents in 2025, up from 8th in 2024, and serious or fatal accidents have been on the increase on the M5. Sadly, there were 5 fatal accidents last year, 7 killed and 47 serious collisions with 53 seriously injured. This page includes more facts about M5 accidents to put accidents on the M5 into context, together with some hints and tips to try and reduce accident numbers and keep us all, and our loved ones, safe.

You might assume that lorries or vans are the main cause of accidents on the M5, but in fact more than nine in ten crashes on the M5 involved cars in 2025, based on the most recent published official data. That was an increase of 11% on the previous year.

The worst day of the week for accidents on the M5 is Friday, but the trend was that accidents on Thursdays were increasing at a faster rate than Fridays, so the data suggested that Thursday could overtake Friday if that trend continues. Surprisingly, 75% of accidents took place on dry roads compared to 23% on wet roads.

You could draw all sorts of conclusions from the official data, but one conclusion is perhaps that people drive the M5 to get to holidays and weekend short breaks, so maybe more people in a hurry to get to their holiday or long weekend break destinations in Somerset, Devon or Cornwall could be driving that trend up? It is no doubt due to a number of factors.

Wouldn't it be great if 2026 was the first time in a while that accidents on the M5 started to fall? Zero would be the ideal.

If all our M5traffic.co.uk users took a moment to pause before setting off on their M5 journey, determined to do their bit for a safer M5, and if all of the roughly 90,000 vehicles a day (on average) on the M5 took the same approach, what a safer M5 everyone would have.

Hints & Tips for Avoiding Accidents on the M5

These may seem obvious, but we are going to say them anyway, as if these comments saved even one life they would be worth it.

These are not a lecture in safe driving; they are simply a reminder to all of us. In a metal box travelling at 70 mph, on a dry road, with well-maintained tyres and brakes and an alert, focused driver, it can take 24 car lengths of total stopping distance to stop under control. That's 24 car lengths, 96 metres, 315 feet it can take to fully stop. Just over 5 car lengths of that is just the thinking and reaction time. Air bags and seat belts all help, but not leaving enough distance to brake safely, or having to swerve suddenly to avoid an obstacle or a broken-down vehicle, are all major causes of serious accidents.

Drink driving, driving while tired, using your phone while driving and other distractions or factors that slow down reaction times all increase the risk of serious accidents on the M5 or any other road.

Speeding, tailgating and lane jumping pose risks to all the surrounding vehicles; they aren't just annoying. They increase risks substantially, as surrounding drivers watching the speeder, tailgater or lane hopper are distracted from the road ahead and their thinking and reaction time will increase, so the whole environment becomes a greater risk of a serious accident or crash.

Reacting to other drivers dangerously, "road rage", further increases the risks of a serious accident.

Speeding Facts

Let's talk about speeding. Not only does it create a greater risk of a serious accident, longer braking distances etc., but if you drove 50 miles at 5 mph over the speed limit (75 mph) you would arrive at your destination just 2 minutes and 51 seconds quicker. About 3.42 seconds quicker per mile.

If you drove 50 miles at 10 mph over the speed limit (so 80 mph) you would get there 5 minutes 21 seconds quicker. About the length of time it might take you to read this page?

At 80 mph, assuming good tyres, brakes etc., the total stopping distance increases to about 122 metres, an additional 6 car lengths, and a further increased risk of a serious accident or crash.

Points on your licence, more expensive insurance and the emotional and mental effects of accidents on not only those involved but also their families, the witnesses to the accident or crash, and the emergency services that attend the accident?

Is it worth the risk of a serious or possibly fatal accident?

Accidents cost lives, cost money, cause heartache and many other problems. Let's all do our best to try and avoid them.

At M5 Traffic we hope all our users' journeys on the M5 will be smooth and trouble free, and certainly free from any serious accident or crash. We promote the traffic news in the hope, and with the aim, that it will lead to safer roads, smoother journeys, reduced CO2 emissions, cheaper motoring and reduced stress for our users.

Happy M5 motoring.

How many crashes are there on the M5?

Injury crashes on the M5	2024	2025	Change
Crashes where someone was hurt	162	177	up 15 (+9%)
Crashes where someone died	2	5	up 3
Crashes with serious injuries	24	47	up 23
Crashes with slight injuries	136	125	down 11 (-8%)
People hurt	246	258	up 12 (+5%)
People killed	2	7	up 5
People seriously injured	29	53	up 24
People slightly injured	215	198	down 17 (-8%)
The M5's place among Britain's motorways for injury crashes	6th	6th	no change

Which vehicles are involved in M5 crashes?

M5 injury crashes that involved	2024	2025	Change
At least one car	148	164	up 16 (+11%)
At least one van	25	48	up 23 (+92%)
At least one lorry	29	29	no change
At least one motorbike	14	18	up 4
Vehicles that were slowing, stopping or held up in traffic	79	110	up 31 (+39%)

When do crashes happen on the M5?

M5 injury crashes	2024	2025	Change
On a Friday (the worst day both years)	35	37	up 2
On a Thursday	18	31	up 13
On a Wednesday	25	18	down 7
In daylight	108	133	up 25
On a dry road	112	133	up 21
On a wet road	47	40	down 7

Based on Department for Transport road safety data, 2024 and 2025: police-reported collisions in which someone was injured and the M5 was recorded as the road. Crashes where nobody was hurt, and breakdowns, are not included. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

If you break down on the M5

Get your vehicle off the carriageway if you safely can, leave by the nearside door, stand behind the barrier, and call for help. Do not attempt repairs on the hard shoulder.