A map showing the most dangerous roads in the UK has been compiled by telematics firm Teletrac Navman.

It uses fatality data gathered over five years between 2012 and 2016 by the Department for Transport and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

During that period – in which there was a total of 8,534 fatal accidents – the A6 between Luton and Cumbria topped the list of the country’s deadliest roads with 70 fatalities. 

The A5 between London and Holyhead was second with 67, and the A40 from London to Fishguard was third with 65.

The new map, available in the Resource Library section of Teletrac Navman’s website, also highlights the deadliest county by country. Rutland had England’s highest rate of fatal traffic accidents, with 5.181 per 10,000 residents.

Elsewhere the most dangerous counties were Powys in Wales (4.312), Fermanagh and Omagh in Northern Ireland (4.150) and the Orkney Islands in Scotland (4.110).

Teletrac Navman says that by identifying the most dangerous roads it hopes to help fleet operators manage potential hazards.

The firm’s UK marketing director Peter Millichap said: “When operating a fleet, driver safety is extremely high on the agenda.

“As such, knowing which stretches of road are the most dangerous can help operators reduce the risk of accidents by adjusting their routes or schedules accordingly.

“This informative map, together with today’s telematics technology, provides fleet operators with greater visibility and access to powerful fleet management tools that go a long way toward monitoring its safety and efficiency on the road.”