States › West Virginia › 1989

1989

West Virginia in 1989

Deaths 468Fatal crashes 406Per 100,000 —US deaths 45,582

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 1989.

In 1989, 468 people died in 406 fatal crashes in West Virginia.

The death toll was about level between 1988 (460) and 1989 (468).

West Virginia accounted for 1% of the 45,582 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

45.6% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

30% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 198819891990 →All years

Compared with 1988 and the nation

Measure	West Virginia 1989	West Virginia 1988	United States 1989
Deaths	468	460	45,582
Fatal crashes	406	405	40,741
Deaths per 100,000 residents	—	—	—
Crashes with a drinking driver	46%	45%	39%

Counties in 1989

Every county with a fatal crash in 1989, 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	48	55	31.6	268
Mercer County	21	26	45.2	101
Preston County	13	18	52.9	50
Monongalia County	16	17	15.6	107
Putnam County	15	17	29.8	62
Harrison County	15	16	24.8	72
Cabell County	13	16	17.5	117
Nicholas County	14	15	62.5	63
Berkeley County	14	14	10.3	147
Hampshire County	12	14	58.8	65
Wayne County	12	13	34.6	86
Jefferson County	11	13	21.2	79
Mingo County	11	13	59.9	39
Jackson County	8	13	46.9	60
Raleigh County	11	12	16.6	137
Wood County	10	11	13.3	100
McDowell County	9	11	64.2	44
Fayette County	10	10	25.9	62
Logan County	10	10	32.7	67
Ohio County	7	10	24.3	44
Boone County	5	10	48.8	39
Mason County	9	9	36.3	46
Morgan County	9	9	50.6	23
Wyoming County	7	8	40.1	29
Hardy County	7	7	48.8	42
Marion County	7	7	12.6	45
Greenbrier County	5	7	22.0	63
Randolph County	4	7	25.7	50
Calhoun County	4	6	102.2	12
Monroe County	5	5	40.1	23
Clay County	4	5	65.0	18
Roane County	4	5	36.9	33
Hancock County	4	4	14.3	15
Lewis County	4	4	24.3	48
Lincoln County	4	4	20.6	41
Mineral County	4	4	14.9	32
Upshur County	4	4	16.9	40
Pendleton County	3	4	67.3	18
Ritchie County	1–2	4	49.0	21
Grant County	3	3	27.3	32
Marshall County	3	3	10.2	30
Summers County	3	3	26.0	24
Taylor County	3	3	18.3	15
Tucker County	3	3	45.6	9
Webster County	3	3	37.8	13
Braxton County	1–2	1–2	—	39
Doddridge County	1–2	1–2	—	26
Gilmer County	1–2	1–2	—	12
Tyler County	1–2	1–2	—	20
Wirt County	1–2	1–2	—	8
Brooke County	1–2	1–2	—	15
Pleasants County	1–2	1–2	—	8
Pocahontas County	1–2	1–2	—	16

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

12am4.8%

1am6%

2am5.8%

3am4.5%

4am3.3%

5am1%

6am2.8%

7am2.8%

8am3.3%

9am2.3%

10am3%

11am4%

12pm3%

1pm6.5%

2pm3.3%

3pm4.3%

4pm3.8%

5pm5.3%

6pm3.3%

7pm4.8%

8pm5%

9pm7.1%

10pm4.5%

11pm5.5%

Weekday

Sunday14%

Monday11%

Tuesday12%

Wednesday11%

Thursday13%

Friday18%

Saturday21%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in West Virginia in 1989?

468 people in 406 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1989 file.

Which county in West Virginia had the most crash deaths in 1989?

Kanawha County with 55 deaths in 48 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1989 compare with 1988 in West Virginia?

468 deaths against 460 in 1988 (+2%). Nationally the 1989 total was 45,582.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1989 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.