The above diagrams show the accident record over two consecutive five year periods where personal injury or death was involved along the A39 as it passes through Ashcott, Walton and Street. The accident statistics for the road do not record fatalities after the victim has been taken from the scene of the accident. On the Walton section of the road the speed limit has been reduced from 40 mph down to 30 mph. If a more detailed look at the accident map is taken you can see a pattern is formed on particular stretches of the A39.
The Ashcott section. This section shows a high concentration of accidents at or near the junction of the A39/A361 (The Pipers Inn). This spot is renown for accidents and a bypass should cure the problem at this point. Moving west along the A39 towards Ashcott village a less concentrated pattern can be seen. The accidents are pretty evenly spaced along this stretch of the road apart from a couple of points at road junctions. The final section west of the village reveals that accidents are far less as the road becomes less populated by houses.
The Walton section. The accident record appears to be evenly spaced over the entire length of the Walton village which has houses and side roads along it. It is interesting to see accidents drop to zero on the stretch of road west of the village between Walton and just short of the Pipers Inn. This stretch of road is almost without houses and has no side roads joining the A39.
The Street section. The A39 bypasses Street almost entirely and no accidents are recorded on this section of the road east of the roundabout near the Sainsbury store. I believe the map did not record all Street accidents. If it does and no accidents did occur, then it shows that a bypass is safer.
At the Somerset County Council Executive Board Meeting during November 2001 accident figures for last year were stated as 557 hospital admissions from road traffic accidents involving excess speed. Each accident cost £20k to £40k for emergency services, hospitalisation etc.