Successful and deadly, Sturgis counts the numbers
Tuesday, 17 August 2010 | Written by Digits | Print | E-mail

Although the official attendance numbers for the legendary motorcycle rally won’t be known for about a month, a deadly statistic has Sturgis officials agreeing that it was a deadly year for accidents.

With the ten year average being four to five fatal accidents, the nine motorcycle deaths during the event which just wrapped up surprised many. The famous motorcycle rally ended on Sunday August 1th, leaving behind nine deaths in the Black Hills which included Sturgis, Rapid City, the southern part of the Black Hills and the Badlands.

One reason being given for the increased number of fatalities is the sheer number of riders who came to enjoy the 70th anniversary of Sturgis. Estimates are placing the number at 600,000, well above last year's estimated total of 442,000.

If this year’s estimate holds true, the attendance could rival that of the rally’s record year which was coincidentally 660,000 when Sturgis celebrated its 60th anniversary.

Statewide statistics will be released later today.

Fewer attendees were arrested for drunken driving but more were made for drug violations. The number of citations dropped however with 1,442 riders being written up compared to 1,803 last year.