Today is Safe Driving Day in South Dakota

The number of fatal car accidents in South Dakota continues to go down, but officials know there's still plenty of room for improvement.

That's why Governor Dennis Daugaard has proclaimed today (April 20) as Safe Driving Day in South Dakota - the first time a proclamation of this kind has been declared in the Mount Rushmore state.

South Dakota drivers are encouraged to do their part by staying safe behind the wheel and using #DriveSafeSD on social media. Anyone who does is entered into a drawing  to win a gas card, courtesy of 12^th Street Auto Care Center, in Sioux Falls.

Officials say the main focus of the day is educating drivers under the age of 25 to be safer drivers. According to statistics, that age group is involved in almost 50 percent of the crashes involving speeding and more than 30 percent of the crashes involving alcohol.

As a state, South Dakotas has seen a dramatic decrease in fatal vehicle crashes. Last year, the number of fatal accidents was the lowest since 2011 and the second lowest of all-time.

So far this year, fatalities are down 48 percent and the number of fatal crashes is down 40 percent.

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