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South Dakota · county

Lyman County

Residents 3,721Deaths 2024 5Deaths 2015–2024 21Latest 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.

Lyman County, South Dakota, recorded 5 deaths in 4 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 21 deaths in 17 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 3,721 residents, that is 55.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 3.7 times the South Dakota rate of 14.9 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 32% from 31 in 2005–2014 to 21 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 29.4% against 26.6% for South Dakota.

41% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Thursday was the most common day (29%).

5deaths in 20244 fatal crashes
9deaths, 2020–202421 over ten years
55.5per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 134.4
+272%vs South Dakota ratestate 14.9 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

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

Ten-year total down 32% (31 in 2005–2014, 21 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

MeasureLymanSouth DakotaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202455.514.911.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024134.415.811.5
Deaths, 2015–2024211,323389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024171,174358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.21.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-32%-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 3,721 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking29.4%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver29.4%
Pedestriansshare of people killed0%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed9.5%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used56.3%
In darknesscrashes after dark29.4%
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 Lyman County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 17 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Thursday29%
Monday24%
Tuesday18%
Friday12%
Sunday6%
Wednesday6%
Saturday6%

Light condition

Daylight65%
Dark, not lighted29%
Dusk6%
Dark, lighted0%
Dawn0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Major collector41%
Interstate35%
Minor arterial12%
Minor collector6%
Local6%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Other principal arterial0%

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

Clear76%
Cloudy12%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain6%
Fog, smog or smoke6%
Rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Lyman

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 90Interstate611212721%26%

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
2024451–2134.4SD 2024
2023341–2107.5SD 2023
2022000—SD 2022
2021000—SD 2021
2020000—SD 2020
2019341–2107.5SD 2019
2018451–2134.4SD 2018
2017000—SD 2017
201633080.6SD 2016
2015000—SD 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 Lyman County, South Dakota?

5 people died in 4 fatal crashes in 2024; 9 over 2020–2024 and 21 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Lyman compare with South Dakota?

55.5 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 Lyman involved alcohol?

29.4% 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 speeding at 29.4%.

Which roads in Lyman see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 90 (6 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Lyman?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (41% of crashes) and on Thursdays (29%); 29.4% 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.