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1997

Indiana · year

Indiana in 1997

Deaths 935Fatal crashes 846Per 100,000 —US deaths 42,013

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 1997.

In 1997, 935 people died in 846 fatal crashes in Indiana.

The death toll fell 5% from 984 in 1996 to 935 in 1997.

Indiana accounted for 2.2% of the 42,013 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

28% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

30% of the crashes happened between noon to 6pm; Saturday was the most common day.

Compared with 1996 and the nation

MeasureIndiana 1997Indiana 1996United States 1997
Deaths93598442,013
Fatal crashes84687237,324
Deaths per 100,000 residents———
Crashes with a drinking driver28%29%30%

Counties in 1997

Every county with a fatal crash in 1997, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 92 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Marion County77848.61,218
Lake County606412.7539
Elkhart County333717.8278
Allen County29358.8385
LaPorte County272825.1185
Porter County232514.2194
Bartholomew County192529.5138
St. Joseph County21228.0259
Delaware County192118.6152
Madison County182115.6171
Vigo County171817.0142
Tippecanoe County16189.4157
Kosciusko County161619.8137
Vanderburgh County16168.9180
Cass County141539.962
Noble County131531.463
Hendricks County12157.9130
Lawrence County131431.060
Monroe County131410.0101
Howard County121315.5126
Hamilton County12123.2176
Warrick County121218.163
Huntington County101232.570
Marshall County101225.885
Wabash County101239.058
Morgan County111114.997
Boone County101114.080
Hancock County91112.495
Miami County91130.961
Starke County91146.947
Clark County10107.8132
Daviess County81029.355
Wayne County81015.170
Owen County71045.834
LaGrange County9921.971
Fulton County8945.039
Jackson County8919.092
Montgomery County8923.368
Washington County7931.864
Adams County8821.952
Decatur County8830.349
Johnson County884.7105
Ripley County8827.450
Whitley County8822.960
Shelby County7817.598
Dearborn County5815.666
Switzerland County3880.122
Clay County7726.550
Franklin County7730.334
Jefferson County7721.358
Fountain County6635.623
Jasper County6618.076
Jennings County6621.774
Harrison County5615.0104
Clinton County5515.267
Grant County557.5107
Orange County5525.226
Fayette County4521.437
Randolph County4520.555
Rush County4529.825
Tipton County4532.637
Jay County4419.846
Posey County4416.028
Wells County4413.943
White County4416.166
Putnam County3410.668
Blackford County3325.422
Brown County3319.229
Dubois County336.945
Floyd County333.779
Knox County338.455
Newton County3321.253
Spencer County3314.960
Steuben County338.673
Vermillion County3319.337
Martin County1–2330.422
Benton County1–21–2—22
Carroll County1–21–2—36
DeKalb County1–21–2—67
Greene County1–21–2—58
Henry County1–21–2—84
Ohio County1–21–2—8
Parke County1–21–2—29
Pulaski County1–21–2—39
Union County1–21–2—15
Crawford County1–21–2—31
Gibson County1–21–2—72
Perry County1–21–2—27
Pike County1–21–2—22
Scott County1–21–2—65
Sullivan County1–21–2—41
Warren 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

12am3.7%
1am4.3%
2am3.1%
3am3%
4am3.2%
5am1.7%
6am3.3%
7am4.2%
8am3%
9am3.3%
10am4.2%
11am4.4%
12pm3.9%
1pm5.3%
2pm5.3%
3pm5.9%
4pm5%
5pm4.9%
6pm3.8%
7pm5.5%
8pm4.2%
9pm4.9%
10pm4.9%
11pm5%

Weekday

Sunday13%
Monday13%
Tuesday12%
Wednesday14%
Thursday13%
Friday16%
Saturday19%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Indiana in 1997?

935 people in 846 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1997 file.

Which county in Indiana had the most crash deaths in 1997?

Marion County with 84 deaths in 77 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1997 compare with 1996 in Indiana?

935 deaths against 984 in 1996 (+-5%). Nationally the 1997 total was 42,013.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1997 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.