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1997

Kansas · year

Kansas in 1997

Deaths 482Fatal crashes 420Per 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, 482 people died in 420 fatal crashes in Kansas.

The death toll was about level between 1996 (490) and 1997 (482).

Kansas accounted for 1.1% of the 42,013 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

28.8% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

32% of the crashes happened between 6am to noon; Friday was the most common day.

Compared with 1996 and the nation

MeasureKansas 1997Kansas 1996United States 1997
Deaths48249042,013
Fatal crashes42044237,324
Deaths per 100,000 residents———
Crashes with a drinking driver29%37%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
Sedgwick County48499.1611
Johnson County23274.3261
Wyandotte County242615.3245
Franklin County151972.365
Shawnee County16179.6197
Miami County141747.652
Crawford County101230.854
Rice County911118.519
Seward County81151.735
Finney County81026.146
Reno County71016.382
Butler County9913.095
McPherson County8929.756
Lyon County7824.649
Montgomery County7826.376
Pottawatomie County7829.836
Saline County7713.172
Cherokee County6736.644
Cowley County6720.554
Ellis County5724.125
Wilson County5783.435
Douglas County664.986
Geary County6616.944
Leavenworth County667.1111
Stevens County66119.215
Jefferson County5632.752
Labette County5630.542
Barton County4624.234
Jackson County5537.033
Ellsworth County4579.230
Gove County45188.125
Harvey County4514.957
Haskell County35139.212
Bourbon County4427.719
Brown County4443.841
Dickinson County4421.543
Kiowa County44164.219
Morris County4475.818
Linn County3440.624
Marshall County3440.215
Russell County1–2460.424
Wichita County1–24193.111
Greenwood County3351.134
Hamilton County33120.611
Riley County334.150
Sherman County3351.816
Anderson County1–2337.920
Atchison County1–2318.528
Kingman County1–2343.220
Lincoln County1–23102.51
Pawnee County1–2349.918
Phillips County1–2363.413
Smith County1–2384.75
Sumner County1–2313.460
Thomas County1–2338.530
Allen County1–21–2—18
Cheyenne County1–21–2—9
Cloud County1–21–2—17
Edwards County1–21–2—10
Elk County1–21–2—6
Ford County1–21–2—54
Kearny County1–21–2—9
Logan County1–21–2—7
Meade County1–21–2—25
Neosho County1–21–2—30
Osage County1–21–2—33
Ottawa County1–21–2—14
Pratt County1–21–2—33
Rawlins County1–21–2—8
Stafford County1–21–2—17
Wallace County1–21–2—10
Coffey County1–21–2—15
Barber County1–21–2—11
Chautauqua County1–21–2—11
Clark County1–21–2—15
Clay County1–21–2—24
Grant County1–21–2—19
Gray County1–21–2—26
Hodgeman County1–21–2—9
Jewell County1–21–2—11
Marion County1–21–2—46
Mitchell County1–21–2—6
Nemaha County1–21–2—15
Ness County1–21–2—9
Norton County1–21–2—16
Osborne County1–21–2—8
Rush County1–21–2—12
Sheridan County1–21–2—15
Stanton County1–21–2—9
Trego County1–21–2—10
Washington County1–21–2—14
Woodson County1–21–2—11

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

12am4.3%
1am5%
2am3.6%
3am2.6%
4am1.9%
5am1%
6am3.3%
7am5%
8am5.7%
9am5%
10am6%
11am6.5%
12pm4.5%
1pm3.8%
2pm5.3%
3pm3.6%
4pm8.4%
5pm5%
6pm4.8%
7pm2.9%
8pm2.2%
9pm4.1%
10pm1.9%
11pm3.6%

Weekday

Sunday11%
Monday15%
Tuesday13%
Wednesday15%
Thursday14%
Friday16%
Saturday16%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Kansas in 1997?

482 people in 420 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1997 file.

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

Sedgwick County with 49 deaths in 48 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1997 compare with 1996 in Kansas?

482 deaths against 490 in 1996 (+-2%). 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.