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South Dakota · county

Jackson County

Residents 2,737Deaths 2024 3Deaths 2015–2024 30Latest data year 2024

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.

In 2024, the latest year in FARS, Jackson County (South Dakota) had 3 fatal crashes with 3 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 22 fatal crashes and 30 deaths.

With 2,737 residents, that is 98.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 6.6 times the South Dakota rate of 14.9 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 6% from 32 in 2005–2014 to 30 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 20.0% against 16.9% for South Dakota.

36% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (27%).

3deaths in 20243 fatal crashes
13deaths, 2020–202430 over ten years
98.5per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 109.6
+561%vs South Dakota ratestate 14.9 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

048197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 3 deaths1976: 1–2 deaths1977: 1–2 deaths1978: 1–2 deaths1979: 1–2 deaths1980: 1–2 deaths1981: 4 deaths1982: 5 deaths1983: 3 deaths1984: 1–2 deaths1985: 4 deaths1986: 3 deaths1987: 1–2 deaths1988: 1–2 deaths1989: 1–2 deaths1990: 1–2 deaths1991: 1–2 deaths1992: 1–2 deaths1993: 3 deaths1994: 1–2 deaths1995: 4 deaths1996: 1–2 deaths1997: 5 deaths1998: 0 deaths1999: 3 deaths2000: 1–2 deaths2001: 4 deaths2002: 4 deaths2003: 3 deaths2004: 5 deaths2005: 8 deaths2006: 1–2 deaths2007: 4 deaths2008: 3 deaths2009: 1–2 deaths2010: 3 deaths2011: 5 deaths2012: 3 deaths2013: 0 deaths2014: 1–2 deaths2015: 3 deaths2016: 3 deaths2017: 6 deaths2018: 1–2 deaths2019: 3 deaths2020: 0 deaths2021: 5 deaths2022: 1–2 deaths2023: 4 deaths2024: 3 deaths
People killed in crashes in Jackson County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 3 deaths.

Ten-year total down 6% (32 in 2005–2014, 30 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.

Compared with South Dakota and the nation

MeasureJacksonSouth DakotaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202498.514.911.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024109.615.811.5
Deaths, 2015–2024301,323389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024221,174358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.41.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-6%-7%+7%
Crashes on rural roads100%82%43%

Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 2,737 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking22.7%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver22.7%
Pedestriansshare of people killed6.7%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed20%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used85.7%
In darknesscrashes after dark40.9%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads100%

tick marks the South Dakota share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Jackson County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 22 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday27%
Sunday18%
Friday18%
Tuesday14%
Thursday14%
Monday5%
Wednesday5%

Light condition

Daylight55%
Dark, not lighted36%
Dark, lighted5%
Dusk5%
Dawn0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Interstate41%
Minor arterial23%
Other principal arterial18%
Major collector14%
Local5%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Minor collector0%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the South Dakota share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.

Weather

Clear86%
Cloudy5%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain5%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow5%
Rain0%
Fog, smog or smoke0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Jackson

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 90Interstate911212721%26%
2State Route 44State highway3263231%23%

Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.

By year, 2015–2024

YearFatal crashesDeathsDrinking-driver crashesPer 100,000
2024330109.6SD 2024
2023441–2146.1SD 2023
20221–21–20—SD 2022
2021451–2182.7SD 2021
2020000—SD 2020
20191–230109.6SD 2019
20181–21–20—SD 2018
20171–260219.2SD 2017
20161–231–2109.6SD 2016
20151–231–2109.6SD 2015

Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Jackson County, South Dakota?

3 people died in 3 fatal crashes in 2024; 13 over 2020–2024 and 30 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Jackson compare with South Dakota?

98.5 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 14.9 for South Dakota and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Jackson involved alcohol?

22.7% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 34.9% in South Dakota. The factor furthest above the state share was motorcyclists at 20.0%.

Which roads in Jackson see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 90 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 44 (3 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Jackson?

Most often between noon to 6pm (36% of crashes) and on Saturdays (27%); 40.9% happened after dark.

Where does this data come from?

NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.

Provenance

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.