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1985

West Virginia in 1985

Deaths 420Fatal crashes 368Per 100,000 —US deaths 43,825

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 1985.

In 1985, 420 people died in 368 fatal crashes in West Virginia.

The death toll was about level between 1984 (438) and 1985 (420).

West Virginia accounted for 1% of the 43,825 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

44.6% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

35% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 198419851986 →All years

Compared with 1984 and the nation

Measure	West Virginia 1985	West Virginia 1984	United States 1985
Deaths	420	438	43,825
Fatal crashes	368	387	39,196
Deaths per 100,000 residents	—	—	—
Crashes with a drinking driver	45%	43%	40%

Counties in 1985

Every county with a fatal crash in 1985, 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	36	42	24.2	268
Mercer County	16	20	34.8	101
Nicholas County	15	20	83.3	63
Fayette County	17	17	44.0	62
Raleigh County	14	17	23.5	137
Preston County	9	17	49.9	50
Monongalia County	14	16	14.7	107
Berkeley County	13	15	11.0	147
Mingo County	12	13	59.9	39
Boone County	12	12	58.5	39
Wood County	12	12	14.5	100
Harrison County	11	11	17.1	72
Cabell County	10	11	12.0	117
Randolph County	10	11	40.5	50
Jefferson County	9	10	16.3	79
Mason County	9	10	40.4	46
Putnam County	9	10	17.5	62
McDowell County	8	9	52.5	44
Wyoming County	8	9	45.1	29
Logan County	7	9	29.5	67
Wayne County	7	9	23.9	86
Ohio County	7	8	19.5	44
Upshur County	7	7	29.6	40
Greenbrier County	6	6	18.8	63
Jackson County	6	6	21.6	60
Wetzel County	6	6	43.6	21
Marion County	5	6	10.8	45
Brooke County	4	6	28.2	15
Lincoln County	5	5	25.8	41
Grant County	4	5	45.6	32
Mineral County	4	5	18.7	32
Morgan County	4	5	28.1	23
Webster County	4	5	62.9	13
Marshall County	4	4	13.6	30
Monroe County	4	4	32.1	23
Pendleton County	4	4	67.3	18
Clay County	3	4	52.0	18
Hampshire County	3	4	16.8	65
Braxton County	3	3	24.9	39
Lewis County	3	3	18.2	48
Ritchie County	3	3	36.7	21
Taylor County	3	3	18.3	15
Tucker County	3	3	45.6	9
Barbour County	1–2	1–2	—	30
Calhoun County	1–2	1–2	—	12
Hardy County	1–2	1–2	—	42
Roane County	1–2	1–2	—	33
Tyler County	1–2	1–2	—	20
Doddridge County	1–2	1–2	—	26
Gilmer County	1–2	1–2	—	12
Pleasants County	1–2	1–2	—	8
Pocahontas County	1–2	1–2	—	16
Summers County	1–2	1–2	—	24

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

12am4.4%

1am5%

2am2.8%

3am5%

4am2.8%

5am2.2%

6am1.7%

7am3%

8am1.4%

9am3%

10am2.8%

11am1.4%

12pm3.6%

1pm3.3%

2pm4.7%

3pm6.4%

4pm5.5%

5pm6.4%

6pm8.3%

7pm5.8%

8pm5.5%

9pm3.6%

10pm5.5%

11pm6.1%

Weekday

Sunday17%

Monday12%

Tuesday10%

Wednesday11%

Thursday14%

Friday18%

Saturday19%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in West Virginia in 1985?

420 people in 368 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1985 file.

Which county in West Virginia had the most crash deaths in 1985?

Kanawha County with 42 deaths in 36 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1985 compare with 1984 in West Virginia?

420 deaths against 438 in 1984 (+-4%). Nationally the 1985 total was 43,825.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1985 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.