ANNEX 1 - ATTENDANT CIRCUMSTANCES VARIABLES

1.1 RECORD TYPE

CODES

NOTES

A. First box always coded 1 to enable accident records to be easily identified during computer processing and analysis at local and national levels.

B. In second box, code 5 only to be used when an accident record already sent to DfT/SE/NAfW is to be replaced by an amended record.

1.2 POLICE FORCE

NOTES

A. Enter the code number of the police force in whose area the accident occurred. The relevant codes are listed in Annex 6 on page 103.

B. Note that leading zeros are incorporated in some of these codes and must be entered (eg. the code for Cumbria is entered as 03).

1.3 ACCIDENT REFERENCE

NOTES

A. The accident reference allocated by the police must be unique within that police force for the accident and for the calendar year in which it took place. It must also be sufficient for the police to identify the accident in the event of a query.

B. The accident reference may contain a total of 7, or fewer, numbers and/or alphabetic characters in any sequence convenient to Police Force requirements.

C. Unused spaces to the left of accident references containing less than 7 characters are to be coded zero (eg. ABC123 would be coded 0ABC123).

1.5 NUMBER OF VEHICLE RECORDS

NOTES

A. Enter the number of vehicle records submitted for the accident.

B. Unused boxes to the left of the number of vehicles should be coded zero (eg. if 2 vehicles were involved, this item would be coded 002).

1.6 NUMBER OF CASUALTY RECORDS

NOTES

A. Enter the number of casualty records submitted for the accident.

B. Unused boxes to the left of the number of casualty records should be coded zero (eg. if there were 3 casualty records, this item would be coded 003).

1.7 DATE

NOTES

A. The first two boxes are to be used for the day, the second two for the month and the remaining two for the last two digits of the year.

B. Accident year will be converted to four characters by DfT/SE/NAfW.

C. Unused boxes to the left of the day or month are to be entered as zeros (eg. 9 June 2005 would be coded as 090605).

Day

Circle as appropriate

1.9 TIME

NOTES

A. The hours, on a 24 hour system, are to be entered in the first two boxes.

B. The number of minutes past any of these hours should be recorded in the two right hand boxes, to the nearest minute.

C. Zeros should be entered where necessary, i.e. 8 minutes past 9am. is entered as 0908.

D. The coding 0000 is not permitted. Midnight should be coded 0001.

1.10 LOCAL AUTHORITY

NOTES

A. Enter the code number of the local authority in whose area the accident occurred.

B. The codes are listed in Annex 7 on pages 104-111.

C. Note that leading zeros are incorporated in some of these codes and must be entered (eg. the code for Westminster is entered as 001).

For a Full List of Local Authority Codes - Click Here

1.11 LOCATION

10 DIGIT ORDNANCE SURVEY GRID REFERENCE NUMBER

NOTES

A. The standard numeric 10 digit grid reference must be used.

B. The first digit of both easting and northing define the national 100 kilometre square. The second digit of both easting and northing define the national 10 kilometre square. The third digit of both easting and northing define the national 1 kilometre square. The fourth digit of both easting and northing define the national 100 metre square. The fifth digit of both easting and northing define the national 10 metre square. Example: 52617 36911 Further details are available on Ordnance Survey Maps.

C. Local authorities/police using link/node systems are expected to code their accidents on the above basis but a local authority can have an additional variable for link/node reference on its local variant of STATS19 for local use if it so chooses. If so, this information is not to be sent to DfT/SE/NAfW.

D. Alpha map reference nodes are not acceptable.

E. This variable is used by most local authorities, by DfT headquarters and by regional offices. In the past many errors have been found, such as displaced figures, faulty translation of the 100 kilometre square letters to digits and transposition of the easting and northing. Data should, therefore, be validated by the local processing authority before transmission to DfT/SE/NAfW.

F. An accident should usually be located where the first impact, at which an injury was sustained, occurred, although there may be circumstances in which the LPA feel it more appropriate to locate the accident at the point where a vehicle lost control. Where a vehicle impacts after having left the carriageway, the accident should, normally, be located at the point at which the vehicle first left the carriageway.

Remember that grid references are determined by ‘going in the house first, then up the stairs’.  (east then north)

If you are unable to provide the grid reference, leave blank but make sure that your location description is accurate to enable the grid reference to be determined on the force mapping system.

1.12 1st ROAD CLASS

CODES

NOTES

A. Enter the code number for the class of the road on which the accident location is being recorded.

B. For an accident at a junction, where the accident cannot clearly be allocated to one specific road, the class of the main road, should be the one which is entered here. The main road is defined as the road which has priority. For roundabouts and signal controlled junctions, the main road is the one with the highest class of all the roads entering the junction. If roads are of equal class then the road with the lowest number should be taken as the main road.

C. It is for individual local processing authorities to decide whether or not to separately identify 'C' roads. Where this is not done, such roads should be coded 6 'Unclassified'.

D. The Road Class for an accident occurring on a Service Road running alongside a major road should be coded according to the class of the Service Road itself (usually 'Unclassified'), not the major road.

E. Codes 1 - 4 must be accompanied by a valid road number in 1.13 (1st Road Number).

F. See also "Examples for coding the locations of accidents and vehicles" on page 23.

1.13 1st ROAD NUMBER

NOTES

A. Enter the road number of the road whose class was entered at 1.12 (1st Road Class). See 1.12Note B where the accident cannot be clearly allocated to one specific road.

B. If the road number contains less than four digits, leading zeros should be inserted to the left of thenumber (eg. A46 is coded 0046).

C. If 1.12 is coded 5 or 6, the local processing authority will decide whether a road number is required.

D. If 1.12 is coded 1 - 4, 1.13 must contain a valid road number.

If collision occurs at or near to a junction, the two roads involved must be recorded. If the collision cannot be allocated to a particular road, the class of the MAIN road should be the one entered here.  The MAIN road is defined as the one that has priority. For roundabouts where neither road has priority and for signal controlled junctions the main road is the one with the highest class. If roads are of equal class then the road with the lowest number should be taken as the main road.

If the road is unclassified, put UC

If you don’t know, don’t guess – put NK

Outside House or Marker Post No.

Exact location details are essential. All reference points are useful in recording location of collision on the mapping system.  House numbers are the easiest to identify.  Marker posts are used on roads which have no other identifying features along their lengths (motorways).

1.14 ROAD TYPE

CODES

NOTES

A. Enter the appropriate code for the road on which the accident occurred.

B. The road type for an accident which occurs off the main carriageway (eg. footway or cycleway) should be coded as appropriate for the main carriageway. Eg. the road type for an accident occurring on a cycleway running alongside a dual carriageway should be coded 3.

C. For junction accidents, where the road layout at the scene of the incident is different from the general road type, the code appropriate to the general road type should be used. Eg. an accident which occurs on the approach to a junction, where, for a short section, the road has a central reservation, but where the general road type is Single Carriageway, should have Road Type coded 6.

D. Roundabout includes mini-roundabouts and large, purpose built gyratory systems. Where existing streets have been made into a one way (gyratory) system the Road Type should be coded 2.

E. One way streets with contraflow bus or cycle lanes should be coded 3 or 6, as appropriate.

F. Slip roads are dedicated to getting traffic from one road to another. They include roads connecting grade separated roads (i.e. roads at different levels) and "filter lanes" at non-grade separated junctions which connect two roads by avoiding a roundabout or other junction. Includes slip lanes marked by white lines at roundabouts, but which are not physically separated from the roundabout.

G. A dual carriageway is a road in which the opposing carriageways are physically separated (eg. by a central reservation or barrier). Carriageways separated only by line markings (or no markings at all) are single.

H. If a contraflow is on a dual carriageway due to roadworks, use code 3 as normal but enter code 4, 'Road works present' in 1.24 (Special Conditions).

I. Code 9 'Unknown' should only be used in exceptional circumstances where no information on road type is available, or where the other Road Type codes are inappropriate.

J. If 1.15 (Speed Limit) is coded 70, 1.14 must not be coded 6.

EXAMPLES FOR CODING THE LOCATIONS OF ACCIDENTS AND VEHICLES

Example Descriptions Here

Acc Description 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 Veh 2.7 2.10   1 Veh 1 hits offside of Veh 2 whilst moving to nearside lane on main carriageway of motorway, 100 metres from junction 1 4 3 00       00 1 00 2 11 18 0 0   2 Veh 1 crashes on exit slip road, 50m. from junction with motorway main carriageway and 50m. from roundabout 1 4 7 00       00 1 18 0   3 Veh 1 crashes into rear of Veh 2 which is waiting in queue on slip road, 10m from junction with roundabout 1 4 7 01 2 3 310 2 00 1 00 2 04 03 1 1   4 Veh 1 pulls out from slip road onto roundabout and hits nearside of vehicle 2 3 310 2 1 01 2 1 4 00 1 00 2 05 18 4 8   5 Veh 1 crashes into rear of Veh 2 which brakes suddenly on roundabout, more than 20m. from any entry/exit roads 3 310 2 1 00       00 1 00 2 18 04 0 0   6 Veh 1 joining main carriageway of motorway from entry slip collides with Veh 2 which is in nearside lane 1 4 3 05 4 1 4 00 1 00 2 12 18 7 8

1.15 SPEED LIMIT (Permanent)

MPH

NOTES

A. This applies to the general speed limit applicable to the road on which the accident occurred, not to that governing a specified class of vehicle (eg. articulated vehicle or tram), even when such a vehicle is involved.

B. The actual limit in mph is to be entered in every case.

C. Where a lower variable or temporary speed limit is in force (mandatory or otherwise) the normal speed limit applicable to the road, not the temporary one, should be entered. Possible examples include sections of roads outside schools at certain times of day, roadworks sites and sections of the M25.

D. Speeds of under 20mph should only be used in very exceptional circumstances and the reporting officer should confirm that the accident is on a Highway ('road' in Scotland). See Section 2, pages 6 and 7.

E. The local processing authority should query any speed limit coded other than 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 or 70mph, as to whether the accident actually occurred on the highway.

1.16 JUNCTION DETAIL

CODES

NOTES

A. Junction is defined as a place where two or more roads meet (excluding where one of the roads crosses the other by a bridge or flyover) whatever the angle of the axes of the roads. The meeting point of a public highway and private drive (in use at time of accident) is a junction for this purpose.

B. If there are two or more junctions within 20 metres of the accident, code the junction which is closest to the accident.

C. A gap in the central reservation of a road is not a junction and should be coded 00 unless other roads join the dual carriageway at that point.

D. Code 00 is to be used when the accident occurs more than 20 metres from a junction. Codes 01 - 09 must be used for points at or within 20 metres of a junction.

E. 'Roundabout' includes the whole of the circular highway and sections of the roads leading into it (within 20 metres of the circular highway). Roundabout also includes sections of large gyratory systems which are within 20 metres of entrance/exit points. Where an accident occurs more than 20 metres from entrance/exit point, code 00 should be used.

F. A 'mini-roundabout' is a roundabout having a flush or slightly raised circular marking less than 4 metres in diameter.

G. Code 03, 'T or staggered junction' includes 3 arm junctions at which 2 roads join at an acute angle (previously known as 'Y' junction).

H. Use code 05 'Slip road' only for accidents occurring within 20 metres of the point where a slip road (including filter lane at roundabout - See 1.14 Note F) merges with or diverges from the nearside of the main carriageway. Accidents occurring on slip roads, within 20 metres of a roundabout should be coded 01 or 02 as appropriate. Accidents occurring on slip roads which are not within 20 metres of a junction should be coded 00.

I. Crossroads: four arm junction where the alignments of both roads are uninterrupted whatever the angle of the crossing, and the arms are not staggered.

J. Multiple Junction: a junction with more than 4 arms (except roundabouts).

K. Using Private Drive or entrance: not to be used merely to record the presence of a private drive or entrance. Only for use where the private drive or entrance is being used by a vehicle involved in the accident.

L. Other Junction: only to be used in exceptional circumstances where the junction is not defined above.

M. If 1.16 is coded 01 - 03 or 05 - 09, items 1.17 (Junction Control), 1.18 (2nd Road Class) and, if applicable, 1.19 (2nd Road Number) must be completed. On each vehicle record, 2.10 (Junction Location of Vehicle) must be coded 1 - 8.

N. If 1.16 is coded 00, items 1.17, 1.18 and 1.19 must not contain any coded entries and 2.10 must be coded 0 for each vehicle.

O. See also "Examples for coding the locations of accidents and vehicles" on page 23.

1.17 JUNCTION CONTROL

CODES

NOTES

A. To be completed for 'junction accidents' only. If item 1.16 (Junction Detail) is coded 00, leave 1.17 blank.

B. An 'authorised person' at a junction means a police officer, traffic warden in uniform or school crossing patrol (see 1.20a - Note C) who is controlling the traffic.

C. If an 'authorised person' is controlling the junction, even if there are traffic signals or other junction controls, code 1 'authorised person' should be entered.

D. Where part time traffic signals are employed, use code 2 if the traffic signals were in operation at the time of the accident, and code 4 if not.

E. On a junction where the traffic signals are out of action and where there is no authorised person in control, this variable should be coded 2, and an appropriate code to indicate the state of the traffic signals will also normally be necessary under item 1.24 (Special Conditions at Site).

F. See also "Examples for coding the locations of accidents and vehicles" on page 23.

1.18 2nd ROAD CLASS

CODES

NOTES

A. To be completed for 'junction accidents' only.

B. Enter the class, as coded above, of the road at the junction which has not already been coded as 1st Road Class.

C. Where, at a junction, there is more than one road to choose from for this variable (i.e. as the second road), then the road with the highest class should be chosen.

D. It is for individual local processing authorities to decide whether or not to separately identify 'C' roads. Where this is not done, such a road should be coded 6 'Unclassified'.

E. See also "Examples for coding the locations of accidents and vehicles" on page 23.

1.19 2nd ROAD NUMBER

NOTES

A. Enter the road number of the road whose class was entered at 1.18 (2nd Road Class).

B. If the road number contains less than four digits, leading zeros should be inserted to the left of the number (eg. A46 is coded 0046).

C. If 1.18 is coded 5 or 6, the local processing centre will decide whether a road number is used.

D. If 1.18 is coded 1 - 4, 1.19 must contain a valid road number.

1.20a PEDESTRIAN CROSSING - HUMAN CONTROL

CODES

NOTES

A. This section should be coded for every personal injury accident. If, at the time of the accident, there is no 'Pedestrian crossing with human control' within 50 metres, enter code 0.

Only record the presence of a pedestrian crossing if:

a. a pedestrian is involved in an accident on, or within 50 metres of, a pedestrian crossing, or

b. the pedestrian crossing facility was within 50 metres of the accident, along the route travelled or intended to be travelled, by vehicle(s) involved in the accident, and was considered to be a factor in the accident, regardless of whether there was direct pedestrian involvement.

B. Codes 1 and 2 should be used regardless of whether the human control site had a physical pedestrian crossing facility.

C. School crossing patrol means 'lollipop' men and women in uniform, who are lawfully appointed.

D. An 'Other authorised person' means a police officer or a traffic warden in uniform.

E. 1.20a and 1.20b should always refer to the same site. In the unlikely event of a pedestrian crossing with human control and a physical pedestrian crossing facility being available at different sites within 50 metres of an accident (and both are deemed to have been a factor in the accident), the codes in 1.20a and 1.20b should refer to the site nearest the accident.

F. See also "Examples" on page 32.

1.20b PEDESTRIAN CROSSING - PHYSICAL FACILITIES

CODES

NOTES

A. This section should be coded for every personal injury accident. If there was no 'Physical pedestriancrossing facility' within 50 metres of the accident, enter code 0.

Only record the presence of a pedestrian crossing if:

a. a pedestrian is involved in an accident on, or within 50 metres of, a pedestrian crossing, or

b. the pedestrian crossing facility was within 50 metres of the accident, along the route travelled or intended to be travelled, by vehicle(s) involved in the accident, and was considered to be a factor in the accident, regardless of whether there was direct pedestrian involvement.

See also "Examples" on page 32.

B. A zebra crossing should be coded as such even if the beacons or stripes are defective.

C. Code 4 includes any pedestrian crossing which is not at a junction, and has traffic lights controlling the traffic, and lights controlling pedestrians (or pedestrians and cyclists) crossing.

D. 'Pedestrian phase at traffic signal junction' is any pedestrian crossing at a junction controlled by traffic lights which has an indicator light for pedestrians (or pedestrians and cyclists) only. This does not include normal traffic signals with pedestrian stud crossing points but no special indicator lights for pedestrians.

E. Where a junction controlled by traffic lights has pedestrian crossings with indicator lights for pedestrians on one or more arms (or filter lanes), but no similar facilities on the other arms, allocate code 5 or 0 as appropriate to the junction arm at which (or nearest to which) the accident occurred.

F. Where light controls are defective on a light controlled pedestrian crossing, code 4 or 5 should still be used.

G. Code 8 'Central refuge - no other controls' should only be used when the refuge is not part of any

other pedestrian crossing facility (this code is not applicable to median strips on dual carriageways).

H. When more than one physical pedestrian crossing facility is present within 50 metres (and both/all are deemed to have been a factor in the accident), the nearest one to the accident should be coded.

I. 1.20a and 1.20b should always refer to the same site. In the unlikely event of a pedestrian crossing with human control and a physical pedestrian crossing facility being available at different sites within 50 metres of an accident (and both are deemed to have been a factor in the accident), the codes in 1.20a and 1.20b should refer to the site nearest the accident.

J. Raised tables/platforms are not to be considered as pedestrian facilities unless they are markedfurther as Zebra or Pelican Crossing etc.

K. If 1.20b is coded 1, 4, 5 or 8 and 1.16 (Junction Detail) is coded 00, then 1.12 (1st Road Class) must not be coded 1 or 2.

EXAMPLES

Accident Circumstance

1.20a

1.20b

Accident on road with no crossing facility, human or physical within 50m

0

0

Accident at school crossing patrol site without physical crossing facility

1

0

Accident on zebra crossing with school crossing patrol

1

1

Accident at pelican crossing - no crossing patrol or control by other auth. person

0

4

Pedestrian accident within 50m of pedestrian subway, no human control

0

7

Accident at crossroads controlled by traffic lights, no ‘green man’ or human control

0

0

'Shunt' accident in queue of traffic at Pelican Crossing - pedestrian not hit

0

4

Driver loses control of vehicle on bend within 50m. of Zebra crossing, but the pedestrian crossing in no way contributed to the accident

0

0

Accident at junction normally controlled by traffic lights, including ‘green man’ phase for pedestrians. Lights out of action - traffic controlled by police officer

2

5

1.21 LIGHT CONDITIONS

CODES

NOTES

A. This section should be coded for all personal injury accidents, whether in daylight or darkness.

B. 'Darkness' means half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise. 'Daylight' means all other times.

C. 'Street lights lit' includes instances where alternate lamps are lit. Scattered or isolated lamps which are lit should be treated as 'street lights unlit' (code 5).

D. The distinction between 'street lights unlit' and 'no street lights' is made because it is important in assessing factors affecting accident rates.

E. The use of codes 3 and 7 should be avoided if at all possible.

1.22 WEATHER

CODES

NOTES

A. This refers to weather conditions at the time and location of the accident.

B. 'Fine without high winds' means any weather condition which does not have an adverse effect ondriving (i.e. cannot be coded 2 - 8).

C. 'Raining' includes drizzle, hail and sleet not tending to build up a deposit.

D. 'Snowing' includes sleet building up a deposit.

E. 'Fog' does not include light mists which did not constitute a driving hazard on the road where theaccident occurred.

F. The combinations of certain conditions with high winds (codes 4 - 6) should only be coded if the winds are deemed to have adversely affected driving conditions for one or more of the vehicles in the accident. The use of these codes does not imply that the high winds were a cause of the accident.

G. If two or more codes are appropriate, enter the code of the condition which is deemed to have most adversely affected driving conditions.

H. 'Other' should be used to indicate any other adverse weather condition which is not separately specified by the codes above. This code should be avoided if at all possible.

1.23 ROAD SURFACE CONDITION

CODES

NOTES

A. This refers to the road surface condition at the time of the accident.

B. Codes 4 and 5 do not necessarily mean that the whole carriageway was covered.

1.24 SPECIAL CONDITIONS AT SITE

CODES

NOTES

A. This section should be completed for every personal injury accident whether or not such conditions were considered to be contributory to the accident. Use code 0 only if there were no special conditions at the accident site.

B. An automatic traffic signal (including a pelican/puffin/toucan crossing) is 'out' (code 1) if it is totally inoperative at the time of the accident (i.e. no light(s) whatsoever in operation). Do not use this code to record part time signals which are not in operation (unless there is clear evidence that the part time signals are defective).

C. An automatic traffic signal (including a pelican/puffin/toucan crossing) is 'partially defective' when any defect not covered by Code 1 exists. (See Note B above regarding part time traffic signals).

D. If roadworks are present and any of the other conditions are also present, code 4 is preferred if the roadworks were hit by at least one vehicle. Includes accidents occurring within the coned area approaching (or immediately following) roadworks.

E. A defective road surface (code 5) includes any obvious road surface defect, such as pot holes, cracks (but not lack of skid resistance) and surface melting, but not the presence of ice, snow or flood.

1.25 CARRIAGEWAY HAZARDS

CODES

NOTES

A. To be completed for all personal injury accidents. Use Code 0 only when none of the other codes apply.

B. Codes 1, 2, 3, 6 & 7 are to be used only to indicate an object not expected to be found in the carriageway. They should not be used to record impact with a bollard, refuge, kerb etc., which are permanent features.

C. Code 1 should not be used where a vehicle load has been dislodged as a result of the accident currently being coded.

D. If a dislodged vehicle load is in the carriageway as a result of a previous accident then use code 3.

E. If code 3 and another code apply, enter code 3.

F. Only live animals should be coded under 7. Dead animals (or dead pedestrians) should be coded as 'other objects' (code 2). 'Animal' relates to all animals that may be construed to have been a 'Carriageway Hazard' and not just those animals defined in the road traffic act.

1.26 DID A POLICE OFFICER ATTEND THE SCENE AND OBTAIN THE DETAILS

FOR THIS REPORT?

CODES

NOTES

A. Code 1 should be used where a police officer attended the scene of the accident and obtained the details for this report. It is not necessary for the reporting officer to have witnessed the actual accident for code 1 to be used. B. Code 2 should be used in all other cases (eg. accident reported "over the counter" at a police station).

1.27 DfT SPECIAL PROJECTS

NOTES

A. Use of this variable will be explained by DfT as and when mutually agreed.

B. When no special project is under way, the box should be left blank, since irrelevant entries are confusing when a DfT special project is in progress in selected areas.