Traffic Accident Reporting Period for Thanksgiving Holiday


Article Body

Department of Transportation 
For Immediate Release: November 20, 2001
For More Information: Pat Winters 773-4156, Kim Nelson 773-5103

 

THANKSGIVING DAY HOLIDAY PERIOD

Pierre, SD - - The Thanksgiving Day holiday period for reporting motor vehicle traffic accidents will span a 102-hour period beginning at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 21st, and ending at midnight on Sunday, November 25th. Last year during this holiday period South Dakota recorded 210 motor vehicle traffic accidents with 54 injuries and two deaths. 

The last fatality-free Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend on record occurred in 1994, with the worst occurring in 1980 when eight people died from injuries sustained in three fatal accidents. 

Preliminary traffic accident reports have been processed through November 16th for the first nine months of 2001. Compared to 2000 final records for the same time period, it was found that total accidents are down 9.6 percent, injury accidents are down 4.1 percent, and property damage only accidents are down 11.8 percent. Vehicle miles of travel are down 1 percent. 

2001

2000

% Change

Total Accidents:

12,382

13,702

-9.6%

Injury Accidents: 

3,728

3,888

-4.1%

Property Damage Only Accidents: 

 8,547

 9,695

 -11.8%

Number Injured:

5,439

5,870

-7.3%

Vehicle Miles of Travel + 1,000,000 

6,273

6,334

-1.0%

(Note: The reporting threshold for property damage only accidents increased from $500 to $1000 on July 1, 2000. This increase may have an impact on the total accidents and property damage only accidents.)

Fatal accidents and fatalities to date are down for 2001 when compared to 2000 for the same time period. The count for 2001 is 134 fatal accidents resulting in 151 deaths. This compares to 140 fatal accidents resulting in 162 deaths for 2000 through November 20. There have been nine pedestrian deaths in 2001 compared to 12 in 2000; 17 motorcyclist deaths in 2001 compared to 22 in 2000; one bicyclist death in 2001 compared to one in 2000; and two snowmobile operator deaths in 2001 compared to none recorded in 2000.

For more information, please contact Pat Winters, statistician with the Department of Transportation, at (605) 773-4156.