STURGIS, SD – The number of fatalities at the 86th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally so far has reached the same number of fatalities as this time last year, despite less traffic than the 2025 record-breaking milestone anniversary.
Three people have died during the rally as Thursday morning, Aug. 13, according to the South Dakota Department of Public Safety. Yet, there has been an 11% decrease from 2025 in the number of vehicles counted entering Sturgis during the first five days.
By day five this year, more than 275,000 vehicles had been counted, while 311,764 vehicles were reported by day five in 2025, according to the South Dakota Department of Transportation on Aug. 12. The largest motorcycle rally in the world began Aug. 7 and will end Aug. 16.
South Dakota Highway Patrol reported the Rally's first fatality on its second day, Aug. 8: A 72-year-old male traveling northbound on U.S. Highway 85 near Deadwood on a 2003 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide. He was ejected from his bike after braking suddenly while approaching a turning motorcycle in front of him, the department stated.
On Aug. 10, a 63-year-old male, who was traveling westbound on a 2002 Yamaha motorcycle, "left the roadway to the right, entered the westbound ditch, overturned and became separated from his vehicle," according to Kristi Frohreich, a South Dakota Department of Public Safety spokesperson.
That same afternoon, a 46-year-old male was driving on Deerfield Road when he attempted to pass a vehicle in a no-passing zone and lost control while attempting to return to his lane. Frohreich says he was not wearing a helmet.
Usually, the Rally starts the first week in August. Because of the late start, more people came into the rally earlier than usual, South Dakota Highway Patrol Capt. Zac Bader said, bringing with it six pre-rally fatalities between Aug. 1-6.
Bader reported "a difficult pre-rally period in South Dakota," noting the deaths the week of Aug. 3, including a 67-year-old woman who died in a crash Aug. 1 near Rochford and a 46-year-old Sioux Falls woman who died Aug. 6 near Sturgis.
As of 6 a.m. Aug. 13, DPS reported 26 injury crashes so far this year, compared with 50 last year at this point.
Meade County Sheriff Pat West says most accidents are coming from drinking and driving or inexperienced riders, who need to "know their limits" and educate themselves before riding.
"This isn't the place to ride a motorcycle for the first time," he said. "Our roads and our guardrails are unforgiving."
Sturgis Police Chief Geody VanDewater says newer riders are easy to point out because they don't "take their time."
"They get too impatient sitting at a stop sign," he says. "I don't know why anyone is in a hurry. It's beautiful out here. Enjoy the ride and get home safely."
Compared with the five-year average, Bader said Aug. 13 that the 2026 traffic count looks pretty good. At mid-week, the average number of cars that came in from 2020-2025 is 289,024. This year's 275,450 is only 4% less than that.
From last year: Traffic numbers were 16% higher than the previous year in Sturgis.
Aug. 7 this year has been the highest traffic day so far, bringing in 54,515 vehicles into Sturgis. That's 2% less than day one from 2025, which brought in 56,000 rallygoers.
The weekend averaged about 7% less traffic than last year, again bringing in folks who could only swing the first few days of the rally but then needed to "get back to school starting" or who could only afford earlier in August to join the rally, Vandewater said.
By Monday and Tuesday of this week, traffic dropped considerably, down nearly 20% from last year's Monday-Tuesday numbers. On Monday, 13,000 fewer vehicles came in compared with 2025 and, on Tuesday, 12,000 fewer vehicles came in compared with 2025.
City of Sturgis communications director Deb Holland says the DOT has been collecting data from nine traffic counters placed at key entry points around the city.
This includes east of The Buffalo Chip on SD Highway 34, west of Interstate 90's exit 30 on U.S. Highway 14A, north of the Full Throttle campground on SD Highway 79 and south of I-90 exit 32 on Vanocker Creek Road.
More: Sturgis officials urge riders to 'know the road' after pre-rally deaths.
Holland notes that numbers "do not represent individual visitors" since multiple people may ride in a single vehicle or re-enter over several days, but that they still "offer a reliable indicator of traffic activity."
As for economic impact, the rally brought in $1.3 million last year and annually generates up to $800 million in statewide economic impact. Holland says those 2026 numbers will come in later this fall.
Angela George is a trending news reporter for the Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, part of the USA Today Co. Network. She'll be covering the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in the Black Hills. Email [email protected] with tips.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sturgis Rally traffic down, but number of deaths match 2025 so far