Fatal crashes in Iowa
In 2024, 356 people died in 324 fatal crashes on Iowa roads, 6.1% fewer than in 2023. That is about 1 death a day, and 0.9% of all road deaths in the United States.
Iowa ranks 33rd of 51 by road deaths in 2024.
Road deaths in Iowa since 1975
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them. 2024 is the latest year NHTSA has published; the 2024 figures are from the Annual Report File and may be revised when NHTSA releases the final file. The 2025 file is expected in spring 2027.
The deadliest roads in Iowa
I-80 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Iowa from 2015 to 2024: 156, with 179 deaths. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (38 crashes). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-80 | 156 | 179 | 47 | Pottawattamie, Polk, Scott |
| 2 | US 30 | 73 | 89 | 20 | Boone, Benton, Tama |
| 3 | I-35 | 64 | 72 | 21 | Polk, Story, Warren |
| 4 | US 61 | 60 | 64 | 14 | Scott, Muscatine, Lee |
| 5 | US 34 | 59 | 69 | 17 | Mills, Union, Des Moines |
| 6 | US 6 | 56 | 62 | 19 | Polk, Scott, Pottawattamie |
| 7 | US 20 | 53 | 61 | 11 | Woodbury, Dubuque, Hardin |
| 8 | US 69 | 48 | 54 | 16 | Polk, Clarke, Winnebago |
| 9 | US 65 | 48 | 52 | 13 | Polk, Warren, Cerro Gordo |
| 10 | US 218 | 46 | 50 | 14 | Lee, Henry, Black Hawk |
| 11 | US 18 | 41 | 48 | 8 | Floyd, Cerro Gordo, Kossuth |
| 12 | I-29 | 40 | 46 | 10 | Pottawattamie, Woodbury, Harrison |
| 13 | US 151 | 39 | 48 | 13 | Linn, Jones, Dubuque |
| 14 | State Highway 2 | 34 | 43 | 7 | Lee, Fremont, Ringgold |
| 15 | I-380 | 34 | 39 | 12 | Linn, Johnson, Black Hawk |
| 16 | US 63 | 32 | 37 | 11 | Wapello, Black Hawk, Mahaska |
| 17 | US 71 | 32 | 36 | 8 | Dickinson, Audubon, Clay |
| 18 | State Highway 92 | 27 | 31 | 8 | Mahaska, Adair, Warren |
| 19 | State Highway 3 | 27 | 28 | 8 | Plymouth, Butler, Dubuque |
| 20 | State Highway 163 | 26 | 28 | 10 | Polk, Mahaska, Jasper |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
The deadliest counties in Iowa
Polk County had the most fatal crashes in Iowa from 2015 to 2024: 309, with 337 deaths. 99 counties in Iowa recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 20 with the most are listed.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Polk | 40 | 309 | 337 |
| 2 | Scott | 22 | 146 | 164 |
| 3 | Linn | 16 | 138 | 154 |
| 4 | Pottawattamie | 9 | 115 | 118 |
| 5 | Black Hawk | 15 | 95 | 103 |
| 6 | Woodbury | 10 | 84 | 92 |
| 7 | Johnson | 8 | 73 | 80 |
| 8 | Dubuque | 10 | 62 | 66 |
| 9 | Lee | 4 | 59 | 64 |
| 10 | Webster | 3 | 54 | 59 |
| 11 | Dallas | 2 | 53 | 60 |
| 12 | Cerro Gordo | 7 | 51 | 59 |
| 13 | Warren | 4 | 51 | 56 |
| 14 | Marshall | 4 | 49 | 55 |
| 15 | Benton | 4 | 46 | 58 |
| 16 | Iowa | 6 | 43 | 49 |
| 17 | Muscatine | 9 | 43 | 48 |
| 18 | Story | 4 | 43 | 46 |
| 19 | Clinton | 4 | 42 | 50 |
| 20 | Jasper | 3 | 41 | 45 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen in Iowa
The heaviest slot is Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 130 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 5 pm to 6 pm; the worst month is August.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.5 percent, 111 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 44 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 49 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 90 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 104 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 77 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.1 percent, 36 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 57 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 81 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 103 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 107 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 67 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.5 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 53 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 60 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 80 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 114 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 69 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.9 percent, 29 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 57 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 67 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 79 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 104 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 64 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.9 percent, 28 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 62 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 49 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 102 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 93 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 55 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.3 percent, 42 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 58 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 76 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 91 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 110 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 113 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.2 percent, 99 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 42 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 68 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 85 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 114 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 130 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.1%
- Feb5.4%
- Mar6.1%
- Apr7.3%
- May8.8%
- Jun9.4%
- Jul10.3%
- Aug11.7%
- Sep10.2%
- Oct9.0%
- Nov7.7%
- Dec8.1%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where fatal crashes happen in Iowa: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Iowa | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 72% | 43% | above the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 27% | 25% | above the US share |
| In daylight | 54% | 46% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 11% | 21% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 28% | 28% | about the same as the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Who died on Iowa roads in 2024
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 258 | 73% |
| Motorcyclists | 63 | 18% |
| Pedestrians | 30 | 8.4% |
| Cyclists | 4 | 1.1% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 1 | 0.3% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes happen in Iowa: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024 with the factor recorded, against the US share. "A drinking driver" is NHTSA's drinking-driver flag (police-reported drinking or any positive alcohol test), not its "alcohol-impaired" figure. "Unbelted" is the share of passenger-vehicle occupants killed whose belt use is known (2,095 in Iowa).
| Iowa | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 25% | 26% | about the same as the US share |
| Speeding | 20% | 27% | below the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 45% | 49% | below the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 2.0% | 6.5% | below the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 17% | 16% | above the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What the first harmful event was
What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 1,357 | 43% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 884 | 28% |
| Rollover | 402 | 13% |
| Pedestrian | 226 | 7.2% |
| Other | 160 | 5.1% |
| Cyclist | 68 | 2.2% |
| Parked vehicle | 42 | 1.3% |
| Not reported | 1 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Vehicles in fatal crashes in Iowa
Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type (4,601 vehicles).
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 1,446 | 31% |
| Pickups | 856 | 19% |
| SUVs | 787 | 17% |
| Motorcycles | 553 | 12% |
| Truck-tractors | 450 | 9.8% |
| Vans | 271 | 5.9% |
| Other trucks | 223 | 4.8% |
| Buses | 15 | 0.3% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road pages for Iowa
Every numbered road in Iowa with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
Where the Iowa numbers come from
Every figure on this page is counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the federal census of fatal crashes on US public roads, 2024 Annual Report File. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Road names are normalised ("I35 FRONTAGE" and "I-35" are the same road; frontage roads and ramps are left out of road counts). Fields NHTSA coded as unknown show as "Not reported"; a share is only given over 20 crashes, otherwise "Not enough data". The full method.