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1984

West Virginia in 1984

Deaths 438Fatal crashes 387Per 100,000 —US deaths 44,257

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 1984.

In 1984, 438 people died in 387 fatal crashes in West Virginia.

The death toll was about level between 1983 (425) and 1984 (438).

West Virginia accounted for 1% of the 44,257 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

43.2% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

29% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 198319841985 →All years

Compared with 1983 and the nation

Measure	West Virginia 1984	West Virginia 1983	United States 1984
Deaths	438	425	44,257
Fatal crashes	387	379	39,631
Deaths per 100,000 residents	—	—	—
Crashes with a drinking driver	43%	50%	41%

Counties in 1984

Every county with a fatal crash in 1984, 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	43	46	26.5	268
Wood County	20	21	25.4	100
Berkeley County	17	21	15.4	147
Mercer County	17	21	36.5	101
Cabell County	18	18	19.7	117
Nicholas County	15	17	70.8	63
Raleigh County	15	17	23.5	137
Jefferson County	13	17	27.7	79
Mingo County	12	13	59.9	39
Wayne County	10	13	34.6	86
Boone County	12	12	58.5	39
Greenbrier County	10	12	37.7	63
Logan County	9	12	39.3	67
Harrison County	11	11	17.1	72
Fayette County	9	11	28.5	62
Mason County	8	11	44.4	46
Hampshire County	7	9	37.8	65
Monongalia County	8	8	7.4	107
McDowell County	7	8	46.7	44
Putnam County	7	8	14.0	62
Wyoming County	6	8	40.1	29
Marion County	6	7	12.6	45
Lincoln County	4	7	36.1	41
Jackson County	6	6	21.6	60
Ohio County	6	6	14.6	44
Preston County	6	6	17.6	50
Summers County	4	6	52.0	24
Lewis County	5	5	30.3	48
Mineral County	5	5	18.7	32
Pendleton County	5	5	84.1	18
Pocahontas County	5	5	65.3	16
Upshur County	5	5	21.1	40
Hardy County	3	5	34.9	42
Pleasants County	3	5	68.0	8
Braxton County	4	4	33.2	39
Brooke County	4	4	18.8	15
Hancock County	4	4	14.3	15
Marshall County	4	4	13.6	30
Randolph County	4	4	14.7	50
Tyler County	4	4	51.0	20
Roane County	3	4	29.5	33
Gilmer County	3	3	42.2	12
Taylor County	3	3	18.3	15
Barbour County	1–2	1–2	—	30
Calhoun County	1–2	1–2	—	12
Grant County	1–2	1–2	—	32
Monroe County	1–2	1–2	—	23
Morgan County	1–2	1–2	—	23
Webster County	1–2	1–2	—	13
Wetzel County	1–2	1–2	—	21
Doddridge County	1–2	1–2	—	26
Ritchie County	1–2	1–2	—	21
Wirt County	1–2	1–2	—	8

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

12am6.1%

1am5.6%

2am7.4%

3am2.6%

4am2.6%

5am2.1%

6am2.6%

7am2.4%

8am2.6%

9am2.4%

10am4%

11am2.9%

12pm3.7%

1pm2.4%

2pm5%

3pm4.8%

4pm5.6%

5pm6.3%

6pm5%

7pm3.4%

8pm3.2%

9pm6.3%

10pm6.1%

11pm4.8%

Weekday

Sunday13%

Monday14%

Tuesday11%

Wednesday10%

Thursday15%

Friday17%

Saturday20%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in West Virginia in 1984?

438 people in 387 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1984 file.

Which county in West Virginia had the most crash deaths in 1984?

Kanawha County with 46 deaths in 43 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1984 compare with 1983 in West Virginia?

438 deaths against 425 in 1983 (+3%). Nationally the 1984 total was 44,257.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1984 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.