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1978

South Dakota · year

South Dakota in 1978

Deaths 191Fatal crashes 165Per 100,000 —US deaths 50,331

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 1978.

In 1978, 191 people died in 165 fatal crashes in South Dakota.

The death toll fell 8% from 208 in 1977 to 191 in 1978.

South Dakota accounted for 0.4% of the 50,331 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

52.7% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

34% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Sunday was the most common day.

← 197719781979 →All years

Compared with 1977 and the nation

MeasureSouth Dakota 1978South Dakota 1977United States 1978
Deaths19120850,331
Fatal crashes16517944,433
Deaths per 100,000 residents———
Crashes with a drinking driver53%44%36%

Counties in 1978

Every county with a fatal crash in 1978, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 57 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Minnehaha County17209.6149
Todd County714152.64
Pennington County131311.2141
Lawrence County121345.180
Oglala Lakota County7967.475
Brown County6616.026
Day County5592.56
Lincoln County556.656
Lyman County55134.421
Roberts County4548.630
Butte County4436.718
Meade County3412.943
Corson County1–24106.814
Hutchinson County1–2453.925
Bon Homme County3342.416
Brookings County338.324
Codington County3310.231
Grant County3339.418
Hand County3396.95
Miner County33130.36
Tripp County3352.513
Yankton County3312.838
Lake County1–2327.310
Marshall County1–2368.38
Turner County1–2333.019
Deuel County1–2369.28
Faulk County1–23140.46
Beadle County1–21–2—22
Bennett County1–21–2—10
Charles Mix County1–21–2—27
Custer County1–21–2—31
Fall River County1–21–2—25
Hyde County1–21–2—5
McCook County1–21–2—16
Sanborn County1–21–2—8
Spink County1–21–2—8
Walworth County1–21–2—11
Ziebach County1–21–2—2
Buffalo County1–21–2—14
Campbell County1–21–2—4
Clark County1–21–2—5
Clay County1–21–2—12
Davison County1–21–2—13
Dewey County1–21–2—9
Edmunds County1–21–2—12
Gregory County1–21–2—8
Haakon County1–21–2—7
Hanson County1–21–2—20
Hughes County1–21–2—11
Jackson County1–21–2—30
Jones County1–21–2—13
Kingsbury County1–21–2—9
McPherson County1–21–2—3
Moody County1–21–2—14
Potter County1–21–2—4
Stanley County1–21–2—5
Union County1–21–2—18

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

12am7.4%
1am7.4%
2am6.2%
3am1.2%
4am3.7%
5am1.2%
6am1.9%
7am2.5%
8am0.6%
9am1.9%
10am3.1%
11am2.5%
12pm4.9%
1pm3.1%
2pm5.6%
3pm2.5%
4pm4.9%
5pm5.6%
6pm9.9%
7pm3.1%
8pm6.2%
9pm4.3%
10pm6.2%
11pm4.3%

Weekday

Sunday19%
Monday10%
Tuesday12%
Wednesday10%
Thursday16%
Friday18%
Saturday15%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in South Dakota in 1978?

191 people in 165 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1978 file.

Which county in South Dakota had the most crash deaths in 1978?

Minnehaha County with 20 deaths in 17 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1978 compare with 1977 in South Dakota?

191 deaths against 208 in 1977 (+-8%). Nationally the 1978 total was 50,331.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1978 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.