States › West Virginia › 1978

1978

West Virginia in 1978

Deaths 457Fatal crashes 402Per 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, 457 people died in 402 fatal crashes in West Virginia.

The death toll fell 11% from 514 in 1977 to 457 in 1978.

West Virginia accounted for 0.9% of the 50,331 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

16.9% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

33% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 197719781979 →All years

Compared with 1977 and the nation

Measure	West Virginia 1978	West Virginia 1977	United States 1978
Deaths	457	514	50,331
Fatal crashes	402	450	44,433
Deaths per 100,000 residents	—	—	—
Crashes with a drinking driver	17%	21%	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. 52 counties listed.

County	Fatal crashes	Deaths	Per 100,000	Deaths 2015–2024
Kanawha County	54	66	38.0	268
Fayette County	22	25	64.8	62
Mercer County	17	18	31.3	101
McDowell County	16	16	93.3	44
Cabell County	15	15	16.4	117
Nicholas County	14	15	62.5	63
Putnam County	14	15	26.3	62
Raleigh County	13	15	20.7	137
Monongalia County	14	14	12.9	107
Boone County	12	14	68.3	39
Wood County	11	14	16.9	100
Barbour County	8	12	78.1	30
Ohio County	9	11	26.8	44
Randolph County	9	11	40.5	50
Harrison County	10	10	15.5	72
Jefferson County	8	10	16.3	79
Greenbrier County	7	9	28.3	63
Ritchie County	7	9	110.2	21
Marion County	5	9	16.2	45
Mingo County	8	8	36.8	39
Hampshire County	7	7	29.4	65
Lincoln County	7	7	36.1	41
Pleasants County	6	6	81.5	8
Roane County	6	6	44.3	33
Upshur County	6	6	25.4	40
Wayne County	6	6	16.0	86
Mason County	5	6	24.2	46
Grant County	4	6	54.7	32
Logan County	5	5	16.4	67
Marshall County	5	5	17.0	30
Pendleton County	5	5	84.1	18
Preston County	5	5	14.7	50
Doddridge County	4	5	65.7	26
Gilmer County	4	5	70.3	12
Lewis County	4	5	30.3	48
Pocahontas County	3	5	65.3	16
Wetzel County	3	5	36.3	21
Berkeley County	4	4	2.9	147
Calhoun County	4	4	68.1	12
Mineral County	4	4	14.9	32
Taylor County	4	4	24.3	15
Wyoming County	4	4	20.0	29
Webster County	1–2	4	50.3	13
Hancock County	3	3	10.7	15
Hardy County	3	3	20.9	42
Jackson County	3	3	10.8	60
Monroe County	3	3	24.1	23
Morgan County	3	3	16.9	23
Tyler County	3	3	38.3	20
Brooke County	1–2	1–2	—	15
Clay County	1–2	1–2	—	18
Tucker County	1–2	1–2	—	9

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%

1am4.3%

2am4.5%

3am2.3%

4am1.8%

5am1.8%

6am2.5%

7am2.5%

8am2.5%

9am3.5%

10am3.5%

11am4.3%

12pm2.5%

1pm4.3%

2pm4.5%

3pm6.1%

4pm4.5%

5pm7.6%

6pm5.3%

7pm6.1%

8pm4.5%

9pm6.6%

10pm5.6%

11pm4.8%

Weekday

Sunday16%

Monday10%

Tuesday17%

Wednesday13%

Thursday10%

Friday12%

Saturday22%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in West Virginia in 1978?

457 people in 402 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1978 file.

Which county in West Virginia had the most crash deaths in 1978?

Kanawha County with 66 deaths in 54 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1978 compare with 1977 in West Virginia?

457 deaths against 514 in 1977 (+-11%). 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.