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1980

West Virginia in 1980

Deaths 523Fatal crashes 464Per 100,000 —US deaths 51,091

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 1980.

In 1980, 523 people died in 464 fatal crashes in West Virginia.

The death toll was about level between 1979 (512) and 1980 (523).

West Virginia accounted for 1% of the 51,091 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

17.2% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

36% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 197919801981 →All years

Compared with 1979 and the nation

Measure	West Virginia 1980	West Virginia 1979	United States 1980
Deaths	523	512	51,091
Fatal crashes	464	446	45,284
Deaths per 100,000 residents	—	—	—
Crashes with a drinking driver	17%	19%	40%

Counties in 1980

Every county with a fatal crash in 1980, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 53 counties listed.

County	Fatal crashes	Deaths	Per 100,000	Deaths 2015–2024
Kanawha County	55	62	35.7	268
Monongalia County	24	27	24.8	107
Cabell County	23	25	27.3	117
Mercer County	19	23	40.0	101
Mingo County	17	19	87.5	39
Fayette County	16	19	49.2	62
Berkeley County	16	17	12.5	147
Wayne County	14	16	42.6	86
Raleigh County	13	15	20.7	137
Wood County	13	15	18.1	100
Marion County	13	14	25.2	45
Boone County	13	13	63.4	39
Logan County	11	12	39.3	67
Barbour County	5	12	78.1	30
McDowell County	11	11	64.2	44
Marshall County	10	11	37.5	30
Randolph County	8	11	40.5	50
Nicholas County	10	10	41.6	63
Greenbrier County	9	10	31.4	63
Preston County	9	10	29.4	50
Hampshire County	8	10	42.0	65
Grant County	8	9	82.0	32
Wyoming County	8	9	45.1	29
Jackson County	7	9	32.5	60
Brooke County	8	8	37.6	15
Mineral County	8	8	29.9	32
Putnam County	8	8	14.0	62
Hancock County	7	8	28.5	15
Harrison County	7	8	12.4	72
Mason County	7	8	32.3	46
Ohio County	7	8	19.5	44
Jefferson County	6	7	11.4	79
Lincoln County	6	7	36.1	41
Pendleton County	5	6	100.9	18
Pocahontas County	5	5	65.3	16
Tucker County	4	5	76.1	9
Braxton County	4	4	33.2	39
Lewis County	4	4	24.3	48
Morgan County	4	4	22.5	23
Ritchie County	4	4	49.0	21
Taylor County	4	4	24.3	15
Webster County	3	4	50.3	13
Wetzel County	3	4	29.1	21
Doddridge County	3	3	39.4	26
Gilmer County	3	3	42.2	12
Summers County	3	3	26.0	24
Calhoun County	1–2	1–2	—	12
Monroe County	1–2	1–2	—	23
Upshur County	1–2	1–2	—	40
Clay County	1–2	1–2	—	18
Hardy County	1–2	1–2	—	42
Roane County	1–2	1–2	—	33
Tyler County	1–2	1–2	—	20

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

12am5.3%

1am6.8%

2am7.5%

3am4.8%

4am1.8%

5am1.3%

6am2.4%

7am1.1%

8am0.9%

9am1.8%

10am1.8%

11am2.9%

12pm2.9%

1pm3.1%

2pm4.2%

3pm4.8%

4pm5.5%

5pm5.5%

6pm5.7%

7pm5.1%

8pm5.7%

9pm6.8%

10pm5.9%

11pm6.6%

Weekday

Sunday14%

Monday11%

Tuesday10%

Wednesday13%

Thursday12%

Friday17%

Saturday22%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in West Virginia in 1980?

523 people in 464 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1980 file.

Which county in West Virginia had the most crash deaths in 1980?

Kanawha County with 62 deaths in 55 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1980 compare with 1979 in West Virginia?

523 deaths against 512 in 1979 (+2%). Nationally the 1980 total was 51,091.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1980 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.