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1988

Indiana · year

Indiana in 1988

Deaths 1,099Fatal crashes 957Per 100,000 —US deaths 47,087

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. Final FARS file for 1988.

In 1988, 1,099 people died in 957 fatal crashes in Indiana.

The death toll was about level between 1987 (1,055) and 1988 (1,099).

Indiana accounted for 2.3% of the 47,087 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

38.6% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

29% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

Compared with 1987 and the nation

MeasureIndiana 1988Indiana 1987United States 1988
Deaths1,0991,05547,087
Fatal crashes95795642,130
Deaths per 100,000 residents———
Crashes with a drinking driver39%40%40%

Counties in 1988

Every county with a fatal crash in 1988, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 89 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Marion County869910.11,218
Lake County687314.5539
Allen County515914.8385
St. Joseph County364014.6259
Porter County293821.6194
Elkhart County293215.4278
Kosciusko County242733.5137
Grant County162334.6107
Hamilton County18225.8176
Madison County182216.4171
Vanderburgh County202111.6180
Bartholomew County182023.6138
Marshall County141838.785
LaPorte County171715.3185
Greene County151754.558
Starke County91772.547
Steuben County161645.973
Delaware County141614.2152
Vigo County141615.1142
Boone County131519.080
Monroe County131410.0101
Clark County121411.0132
Howard County121416.7126
Huntington County121437.970
Tippecanoe County12147.3157
Montgomery County111436.268
Posey County111455.928
Wayne County111319.670
Hancock County121213.595
Henry County111224.484
Whitley County91234.460
Jackson County101123.292
Dubois County91125.245
Dearborn County101019.466
DeKalb County101022.667
White County91040.366
Adams County81027.352
Morgan County81013.597
Cass County71026.662
Noble County61020.963
Hendricks County994.7130
Clinton County7927.467
Newton County6963.753
Fulton County8840.039
Wells County8827.843
Jennings County7828.974
Spencer County7839.660
Sullivan County7838.541
Brown County6851.129
Harrison County6820.0104
Parke County5848.529
Decatur County7726.549
Johnson County674.1105
Knox County6719.555
Daviess County6617.655
Gibson County6618.272
Jasper County6618.076
Owen County6627.534
Putnam County6615.968
Miami County5616.861
Orange County5630.326
Carroll County5524.136
Clay County5518.950
Floyd County556.179
LaGrange County5512.271
Shelby County5511.098
Vermillion County5532.237
Wabash County5516.258
Washington County5517.664
Fountain County4529.723
Jefferson County4515.258
Randolph County4520.555
Lawrence County448.960
Warrick County446.063
Blackford County3325.422
Fayette County3312.937
Martin County3330.422
Pulaski County3324.239
Rush County3317.925
Warren County3335.522
Benton County1–2333.922
Crawford County1–21–2—31
Franklin County1–21–2—34
Jay County1–21–2—46
Perry County1–21–2—27
Scott County1–21–2—65
Union County1–21–2—15
Ohio County1–21–2—8
Switzerland County1–21–2—22

Per 100,000 uses the 2024 population estimate for every year, so early-year rates are understated where a county has grown.

Hour of day

12am6%
1am4.2%
2am4.1%
3am4.5%
4am2%
5am2.9%
6am3.1%
7am3.9%
8am3.2%
9am2.6%
10am3.5%
11am3.5%
12pm3.7%
1pm2.8%
2pm4.8%
3pm5.3%
4pm6%
5pm5.4%
6pm5.9%
7pm4.5%
8pm2.3%
9pm4.6%
10pm4.9%
11pm6.2%

Weekday

Sunday14%
Monday13%
Tuesday12%
Wednesday12%
Thursday11%
Friday18%
Saturday20%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Indiana in 1988?

1,099 people in 957 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1988 file.

Which county in Indiana had the most crash deaths in 1988?

Marion County with 99 deaths in 86 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1988 compare with 1987 in Indiana?

1,099 deaths against 1,055 in 1987 (+4%). Nationally the 1988 total was 47,087.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1988 national file (accident table); US Census Bureau population estimates (no county estimates before 2000 are used, so no rate is shown for this year). Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.