States › West Virginia › 1979

1979

West Virginia in 1979

Deaths 512Fatal crashes 446Per 100,000 —US deaths 51,093

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 1979.

In 1979, 512 people died in 446 fatal crashes in West Virginia.

The death toll rose 12% from 457 in 1978 to 512 in 1979.

West Virginia accounted for 1% of the 51,093 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

18.6% 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; Friday was the most common day.

← 197819791980 →All years

Compared with 1978 and the nation

Measure	West Virginia 1979	West Virginia 1978	United States 1979
Deaths	512	457	51,093
Fatal crashes	446	402	45,223
Deaths per 100,000 residents	—	—	—
Crashes with a drinking driver	19%	17%	39%

Counties in 1979

Every county with a fatal crash in 1979, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 54 counties listed.

County	Fatal crashes	Deaths	Per 100,000	Deaths 2015–2024
Kanawha County	57	74	42.6	268
Raleigh County	18	23	31.8	137
Cabell County	20	21	23.0	117
Berkeley County	16	19	13.9	147
Putnam County	14	16	28.0	62
McDowell County	13	16	93.3	44
Harrison County	14	14	21.7	72
Randolph County	10	14	51.5	50
Taylor County	12	13	79.1	15
Wayne County	12	13	34.6	86
Fayette County	12	12	31.1	62
Mercer County	12	12	20.9	101
Mingo County	12	12	55.3	39
Wyoming County	11	12	60.1	29
Nicholas County	11	11	45.8	63
Jackson County	10	11	39.7	60
Barbour County	9	11	71.6	30
Monongalia County	9	11	10.1	107
Boone County	10	10	48.8	39
Marion County	9	10	18.0	45
Preston County	9	10	29.4	50
Mason County	8	10	40.4	46
Webster County	8	10	125.8	13
Hampshire County	9	9	37.8	65
Wood County	8	9	10.9	100
Marshall County	6	9	30.7	30
Monroe County	5	9	72.2	23
Hancock County	8	8	28.5	15
Summers County	7	8	69.3	24
Ohio County	7	7	17.0	44
Pendleton County	4	7	117.8	18
Brooke County	6	6	28.2	15
Greenbrier County	5	6	18.8	63
Clay County	5	5	65.0	18
Jefferson County	5	5	8.2	79
Mineral County	5	5	18.7	32
Ritchie County	5	5	61.2	21
Wetzel County	5	5	36.3	21
Grant County	4	5	45.6	32
Lewis County	4	4	24.3	48
Logan County	4	4	13.1	67
Braxton County	3	3	24.9	39
Hardy County	3	3	20.9	42
Lincoln County	3	3	15.5	41
Tucker County	3	3	45.6	9
Tyler County	3	3	38.3	20
Wirt County	3	3	60.9	8
Doddridge County	1–2	3	39.4	26
Upshur County	1–2	3	12.7	40
Morgan County	1–2	1–2	—	23
Gilmer County	1–2	1–2	—	12
Calhoun County	1–2	1–2	—	12
Pleasants County	1–2	1–2	—	8
Roane County	1–2	1–2	—	33

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

12am5.1%

1am5.1%

2am5.3%

3am4.1%

4am2.5%

5am1.2%

6am1.4%

7am2.8%

8am3.9%

9am3.5%

10am2.5%

11am3.5%

12pm4.4%

1pm4.8%

2pm3.9%

3pm5.1%

4pm6.9%

5pm4.6%

6pm5.3%

7pm6.5%

8pm5.8%

9pm4.1%

10pm4.6%

11pm3.2%

Weekday

Sunday18%

Monday11%

Tuesday10%

Wednesday12%

Thursday13%

Friday19%

Saturday18%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in West Virginia in 1979?

512 people in 446 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1979 file.

Which county in West Virginia had the most crash deaths in 1979?

Kanawha County with 74 deaths in 57 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1979 compare with 1978 in West Virginia?

512 deaths against 457 in 1978 (+12%). Nationally the 1979 total was 51,093.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1979 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.