Fatal Roads

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2015

South Dakota · year

South Dakota in 2015

Deaths 134Fatal crashes 116Per 100,000 15.7US deaths 35,484

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 2015.

In 2015, 134 people died in 116 fatal crashes in South Dakota, 15.7 deaths per 100,000 residents against 11.1 nationally.

The death toll was about level between 2014 (136) and 2015 (134).

South Dakota accounted for 0.4% of the 35,484 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

35.3% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

By FHWA road function class, the largest share was on other principal arterial roads (22%).

43% of the crashes happened between noon to 6pm; Saturday was the most common day.

← 201420152016 →All years

Compared with 2014 and the nation

MeasureSouth Dakota 2015South Dakota 2014United States 2015
Deaths13413635,484
Fatal crashes11612532,538
Deaths per 100,000 residents15.716.011.1
Crashes with a drinking driver35%37%28%

Counties in 2015

Every county with a fatal crash in 2015, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 44 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Pennington County151613.8141
Minnehaha County10104.8149
Lawrence County8827.880
Hanson County47201.320
Yankton County3729.838
Meade County6619.443
Oglala Lakota County5644.975
Edmunds County1–26149.012
Custer County4553.631
Beadle County4420.622
Lincoln County445.356
Roberts County3438.930
Moody County1–2461.314
Aurora County33109.015
Davison County3315.113
Jackson County1–23109.630
Brookings County1–21–2—24
Clay County1–21–2—12
Codington County1–21–2—31
Day County1–21–2—6
Faulk County1–21–2—6
Gregory County1–21–2—8
Hutchinson County1–21–2—25
Mellette County1–21–2—4
Union County1–21–2—18
Walworth County1–21–2—11
Bennett County1–21–2—10
Brown County1–21–2—26
Butte County1–21–2—18
Campbell County1–21–2—4
Charles Mix County1–21–2—27
Fall River County1–21–2—25
Grant County1–21–2—18
Hamlin County1–21–2—8
Hand County1–21–2—5
Harding County1–21–2—10
Hughes County1–21–2—11
Jones County1–21–2—13
McCook County1–21–2—16
Marshall County1–21–2—8
Miner County1–21–2—6
Sanborn County1–21–2—8
Sully County1–21–2—4
Turner County1–21–2—19

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

12am1.7%
1am3.4%
2am2.6%
3am1.7%
4am2.6%
5am5.2%
6am2.6%
7am5.2%
8am2.6%
9am3.4%
10am4.3%
11am1.7%
12pm5.2%
1pm2.6%
2pm7.8%
3pm6%
4pm12.1%
5pm9.5%
6pm6%
7pm5.2%
8pm6%
9pm0.9%
10pm0%
11pm1.7%

Weekday

Sunday20%
Monday9%
Tuesday10%
Wednesday7%
Thursday12%
Friday20%
Saturday22%

Road type

Other principal arterial22%
Interstate22%
Major collector22%
Minor arterial16%
Local14%
Other freeways and expressways3%
Minor collector2%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in South Dakota in 2015?

134 people in 116 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 2015 file, or 15.7 per 100,000 residents.

Which county in South Dakota had the most crash deaths in 2015?

Pennington County with 16 deaths in 15 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 2015 compare with 2014 in South Dakota?

134 deaths against 136 in 2014 (+-1%). Nationally the 2015 total was 35,484.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2015 national file (accident table, vehicle and person tables); US Census Bureau population estimates. Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.