I-29 in South Dakota: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 49 fatal crashes on I-29 in South Dakota killed 51 people, the 3rd most of 64 numbered roads in South Dakota. In 2024 there were 7 fatal crashes and 7 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 9 counties of South Dakota. All fatal crashes in South Dakota. I-29 in every state.
Deaths on I-29 in South Dakota by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7 | 7 |
| 2023 | 2 | 2 |
| 2022 | 8 | 9 |
| 2021 | 4 | 4 |
| 2020 | 7 | 7 |
| 2019 | 5 | 5 |
| 2018 | 3 | 3 |
| 2017 | 4 | 5 |
| 2016 | 1 | 1 |
| 2015 | 8 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-29 in South Dakota: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Union County had the most fatal crashes on I-29 from 2015 to 2024: 11, with 11 deaths. Union, Minnehaha and Lincoln counties together held 61% of fatal crashes on I-29 in South Dakota from 2015 to 2024; the 4 listed held 73%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Union County | 2 | 11 | 11 |
| 2 | Minnehaha County | 2 | 10 | 10 |
| 3 | Lincoln County | 1 | 9 | 10 |
| 4 | Moody County | 1 | 6 | 7 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on I-29 in South Dakota
49 fatal crashes on I-29 in South Dakota from 2015 to 2024 have a known time, too few for any one weekday and time of day to stand out. The worst hour is 10 am to 11 am; the worst month is June.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 6.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 6.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash |
By hour
By month
- Jan12.2%
- Feb8.2%
- Mar2.0%
- Apr6.1%
- May10.2%
- Jun14.3%
- Jul6.1%
- Aug8.2%
- Sep6.1%
- Oct6.1%
- Nov14.3%
- Dec6.1%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Fatal crashes per mile on I-29 in South Dakota
1.9 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 253 miles of I-29 in South Dakota, against 2.3 for all interstates in South Dakota. That ranks 2 of 2 interstates in South Dakota and 170 of 172 interstate pages on this site.
Mileage from the FHWA Interstate route log (table 1), the only figure here not counted from FARS. Crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle: FARS records crashes, not traffic.
What fatal crashes on I-29 in South Dakota first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 39%; a rollover in 29%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 16%, a pedestrian in 8.2%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 19 | 39% |
| Rollover | 14 | 29% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 8 | 16% |
| Pedestrian | 4 | 8.2% |
| Other | 2 | 4.1% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 2.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 1 | 2.0% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on I-29 in South Dakota compare with the state
The largest difference from South Dakota: from 2015 to 2024, 41% of occupants killed on I-29 in South Dakota were unbelted, against 66% across South Dakota. Below the South Dakota share: intersections and drinking drivers. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of South Dakota. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 49 crashes.
| I-29 | South Dakota | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 86% | 82% | about the same as the South Dakota share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.0% | 19% | below the South Dakota share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 41% | 31% | about the same as the South Dakota share |
| A drinking driver | 14% | 35% | below the South Dakota share |
| Speeding | 20% | 27% | about the same as the South Dakota share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 10% | 5.9% | about the same as the South Dakota share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 41% | 66% | below the South Dakota share |
| Hit-and-run | 0.0% | 1.8% | about the same as the South Dakota share |
| A motorcycle involved | 20% | 19% | about the same as the South Dakota share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 9.8% | 7.7% | about the same as the South Dakota share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on I-29 in South Dakota
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-29 in South Dakota?
- 49 fatal crashes killed 51 people on I-29 in South Dakota from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 7 fatal crashes and 7 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-29 in South Dakota do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Union County had the most fatal crashes on I-29 from 2015 to 2024: 11, with 11 deaths. Minnehaha County was second with 10.
- How dangerous is I-29 in South Dakota per mile?
- 1.9 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 253 miles of road, against 2.3 for all interstates in South Dakota. That ranks 2 of 2 interstates in South Dakota and 170 of 172 interstate pages on this site. FARS records crashes, not traffic, so this is crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle.
Other roads in South Dakota with a page
All fatal crashes in South Dakota, with every road ranked.
Where the I-29 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-29 in South Dakota (filed under 3 spellings, such as "I-29", "I-29 N", "I-29 S"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.