US 6 in Iowa: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 56 fatal crashes on US 6 in Iowa killed 62 people, the 6th most of 137 numbered roads in Iowa. In 2024 there were 6 fatal crashes and 6 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 10 counties of Iowa. All fatal crashes in Iowa.
Deaths on US 6 in Iowa by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6 | 6 |
| 2023 | 7 | 9 |
| 2022 | 6 | 6 |
| 2021 | 4 | 4 |
| 2020 | 9 | 11 |
| 2019 | 3 | 3 |
| 2018 | 4 | 4 |
| 2017 | 3 | 3 |
| 2016 | 7 | 7 |
| 2015 | 7 | 9 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 6 in Iowa: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Polk County had the most fatal crashes on US 6 from 2015 to 2024: 18, with 19 deaths. Polk, Scott and Dallas counties together held 59% of fatal crashes on US 6 in Iowa from 2015 to 2024; the 4 listed held 71%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Polk County | 1 | 18 | 19 |
| 2 | Scott County | 1 | 8 | 11 |
| 3 | Dallas County | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| 4 | Pottawattamie County | 1 | 7 | 7 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on US 6 in Iowa
56 fatal crashes on US 6 in Iowa from 2015 to 2024 have a known time, too few for any one weekday and time of day to stand out. The worst hour is 3 pm to 4 pm; the worst month is October.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 5.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 7.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 7.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 5.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 7.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.6 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.8 percent, 1 fatal crash |
By hour
By month
- Jan3.6%
- Feb10.7%
- Mar3.6%
- Apr8.9%
- May3.6%
- Jun7.1%
- Jul7.1%
- Aug10.7%
- Sep8.9%
- Oct21.4%
- Nov7.1%
- Dec7.1%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on US 6 in Iowa first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 66%; a pedestrian in 18%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 8.9%, a cyclist in 5.4%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 37 | 66% |
| Pedestrian | 10 | 18% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 5 | 8.9% |
| Cyclist | 3 | 5.4% |
| Other | 1 | 1.8% |
| Rollover | 0 | 0.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on US 6 in Iowa compare with the state
The largest difference from Iowa: from 2015 to 2024, 39% of fatal crashes on US 6 in Iowa were on rural roads, against 72% across Iowa. Also above the Iowa share: intersections and pedestrians. Below it: unbelted occupants. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Iowa. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 56 crashes.
| US 6 | Iowa | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 39% | 72% | below the Iowa share |
| At or near an intersection | 52% | 27% | above the Iowa share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 21% | 28% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| A drinking driver | 21% | 25% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| Speeding | 25% | 20% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 8.9% | 7.0% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 16% | 45% | below the Iowa share |
| Hit-and-run | 0.0% | 2.0% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| A motorcycle involved | 16% | 17% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 18% | 7.1% | above the Iowa share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on US 6 in Iowa
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 6 in Iowa?
- 56 fatal crashes killed 62 people on US 6 in Iowa from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 6 fatal crashes and 6 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 6 in Iowa do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Polk County had the most fatal crashes on US 6 from 2015 to 2024: 18, with 19 deaths. Scott County was second with 8.
Other roads in Iowa with a page
All fatal crashes in Iowa, with every road ranked.
Where the US 6 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 6 in Iowa (filed under 29 spellings, such as "US-6", "US-6 650TH ST", "US-6 6TH AVE", "US-6 7TH ST"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.