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Sturgis Motorcycle Rally 2026 traffic deaths, injury crashes decline, South Dakota Highway Patrol says

Close-up of a motorcycle rear wheel and exhaust on a bright studio floor, with Northeast Radio SD logo and text in the corner

Northeast Radio SD News – Sturgis, SD - Traffic fatalities and injury crashes are down compared to last year as the 2026 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally wraps up, according to official numbers released Sunday by the South Dakota Highway Patrol.


Between 6 a.m. Saturday, August 8, and 6 a.m. Sunday, August 16, law enforcement recorded three fatal crashes resulting in three deaths across the Sturgis and Rapid City districts, down from four fatalities during the same period in 2025. Injury crashes saw a notable drop, falling to 39 this year compared to 66 last year. Non-injury accidents saw a slight increase, rising from 27 to 31.


No fatal crashes occurred during the final 24-hour reporting period, though troopers responded to a serious single-vehicle accident early Saturday morning. At 6:41 a.m., a 69-year-old male operating a 2018 Harley-Davidson trike lost control while traveling eastbound in the rain on Interstate 90 near mile marker 75. The trike struck a cable guardrail, throwing the driver from the vehicle. The driver, who was wearing a helmet, suffered serious non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Monument Health in Rapid City.


Enforcement activity across the region remained steady throughout the eight-day window:


·        Citations and Warnings: Troopers issued 1,709 total citations (up from 1,524 last year) and handed out 4,572 written warnings (down from 4,959).

·        DUI Arrests: Impaired driving arrests dropped slightly to 114 total arrests, compared to 119 in 2025.

·        Drug Offenses: Misdemeanor drug arrests fell from 266 last year to 221 this year, while felony drug arrests increased slightly from 104 to 108.

·        Custodial Arrests & Seizures: Officers logged 228 total custodial arrests and seized $6,116 in cash. No vehicles were seized during this year’s operations, down from one vehicle seized for drug possession last year.


The South Dakota Highway Patrol, an agency of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, noted that all released figures remain preliminary as final reporting is completed.


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