South Dakota Highway Patrol officials said the state has seen a recent spike in fatal crashes, most of which involved victims not wearing seat belts.
Department of Public Safety Secretary Craig Price said since Oct. 15, troopers have investigated six crashes that left a total of eight people dead.
Six of the deceased were not wearing seat belts, according to Price.
The crashes were reported in nearly every corner of the state. The most recent was a single-vehicle rollover Friday near Harrisburg.
Despite the recent surge, the state is seeing an overall decline in fatal crashes in 2022. Department of Public Safety data showed 83 fatalities this year, compared to 103 through this time in 2021.
