COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Lawrence County: higher-rate fatality band
Lawrence County (SD) is in the higher per-capita third: 42.8/100k (#152 of 2,328). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 61
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 12
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 42.8
- Per 100k Residents
- Well above average
- Increasing
- Trend
Higher per-capita fatality band
Lawrence County ranks #152 of 2,328 by deaths per 100,000 residents (42.8/100k) - top-third rate among rated U.S. counties.
Lawrence County in the higher-rate third
According to NHTSA FARS, Lawrence County sits in the higher-rate third at 42.8 per 100k (#152 of 2,328), #1 of 16 in SD.
- #152 of 2,328
- higher-rate third
- #1,157 of 3,137
- by total FARS fatalities
- #1 of 16
- in SD by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS county milepost
Milepost LAWRENCE-81 · Lawrence 42.8/100k · #152 of 2,328
Lawrence County · 42.8/100k · increasing
- POST 42.8/100k
- BAND #152 of 2,328
- VOL 61 book
- AVG Increasing
- YOY 57 crash
- RATE +185.0% vs SD
Stamps derive from this county's NHTSA FARS row (per-100k or book, corpus rank, trend, nationwide peer NAME, vs-state gap), not a trip-risk forecast. PlainRoadSafety is informational only. See our disclaimer. Verify with NHTSA FARS → · Read with methodology → · Understanding road fatality data → · South Dakota state profile →
How does Lawrence County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Lawrence County is 2.9× deadlier than the comparison
2023 road deaths from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System over population from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2023). Rates shown for counties with 10,000+ residents and a 2023 FARS record.
Among the 15 rated counties in South Dakota, Lawrence County ranks 1 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 15.0 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate puts it among the most dangerous one in ten U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Lawrence County's rate and the state average is 27.8 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Roberts County, at 29.4 per 100,000 (a difference of 13.4). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Roberts County (29.4), Lake County (27.2), Meade County (16.2), Davison County (15.1), Lincoln County (15.0), Codington County (13.8), Yankton County (12.8), Union County (11.6), Brookings County (11.1), Butte County (9.2), Minnehaha County (8.7), Pennington County (8.6), Brown County (8.0), Hughes County (5.7).
Lawrence County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
43 Higher than most a lower per-capita rate than 6% of 2,328 rated counties
rated U.S. counties, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more rated counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NHTSA FARS over U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · 2026-09-03
More road safety data related to Lawrence County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Lawrence County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- South Dakota statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for SD
- State fatality changesYear-over-year state trends
- Browse all U.S. countiesAlphabetical county index
- All state profiles51 state dashboards
- State vs U.S. safety comparisonRoute-level lookup tool
- National statistics downloadFARS CSV + findings
- How to read FARS fatality dataMethodology primer
- Per-mile vs per-capita road riskRate denominator explained
- Counties starting with LLetter index including SD counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Lawrence County, South Dakota?
Lawrence County recorded 61 total traffic fatalities across 57 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 12 fatalities. The county averages approximately 6.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Lawrence County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (57 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Lawrence County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for South Dakota may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Lawrence County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Lawrence County is increasing. This indicates that traffic fatalities have risen over the data period, warranting attention to road safety initiatives.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Lawrence County?
Lawrence County has a fatality rate of 42.8 per 100,000 residents, which puts it among the most dangerous one in ten U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Lawrence County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Lawrence County ranks #152 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #1 of 16 rated counties in SD, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Lawrence County compare to the rest of South Dakota?
Lawrence County's per-capita rate of 42.8 per 100,000 residents is above the South Dakota county average of 15.0. Visit the South Dakota state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Lawrence County come from?
All road fatality data comes from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), a census of fatal motor vehicle crashes on public roads in the United States. FARS data covers the period 2016-2023 and includes all crashes resulting in at least one fatality within 30 days.