Fatal Roads

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Boone County

Residents 26,729Deaths 2024 3Deaths 2015–2024 32Latest data year 2024

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.

NHTSA's FARS file lists 32 people killed in 30 fatal crashes in Boone County, Iowa, between 2015 and 2024, 3 of them in 2024.

With 26,729 residents, that is 12.1 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Iowa rate of 10.9 and close to the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 48% from 62 in 2005–2014 to 32 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 30.0% against 25.4% for Iowa.

33% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6am to noon, and Monday was the most common day (23%).

3deaths in 20241–2 fatal crashes
19deaths, 2020–202432 over ten years
12.1per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 11.2
+11%vs Iowa ratestate 10.9 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0713197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 7 deaths1976: 7 deaths1977: 3 deaths1978: 6 deaths1979: 7 deaths1980: 7 deaths1981: 11 deaths1982: 10 deaths1983: 4 deaths1984: 1–2 deaths1985: 5 deaths1986: 3 deaths1987: 5 deaths1988: 3 deaths1989: 4 deaths1990: 3 deaths1991: 0 deaths1992: 4 deaths1993: 3 deaths1994: 7 deaths1995: 3 deaths1996: 3 deaths1997: 10 deaths1998: 4 deaths1999: 8 deaths2000: 3 deaths2001: 5 deaths2002: 1–2 deaths2003: 1–2 deaths2004: 3 deaths2005: 6 deaths2006: 10 deaths2007: 13 deaths2008: 5 deaths2009: 4 deaths2010: 5 deaths2011: 3 deaths2012: 7 deaths2013: 3 deaths2014: 6 deaths2015: 4 deaths2016: 1–2 deaths2017: 1–2 deaths2018: 4 deaths2019: 1–2 deaths2020: 5 deaths2021: 1–2 deaths2022: 1–2 deaths2023: 7 deaths2024: 3 deaths
People killed in crashes in Boone County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 3 deaths.

Ten-year total down 48% (62 in 2005–2014, 32 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.

Compared with Iowa and the nation

MeasureBooneIowaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202412.110.911.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202411.211.011.5
Deaths, 2015–2024323,477389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024303,140358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-48%-10%+7%
Crashes on rural roads87%72%43%

Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 26,729 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking30%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver23.3%
Pedestriansshare of people killed3.1%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed12.5%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used37.5%
In darknesscrashes after dark28.6%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads86.7%

tick marks the Iowa share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Boone County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 30 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Monday23%
Saturday23%
Wednesday20%
Tuesday10%
Friday10%
Sunday7%
Thursday7%

Light condition

Daylight68%
Dark, not lighted21%
Dark, lighted7%
Dusk4%
Dawn0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial50%
Major collector30%
Local13%
Minor arterial7%
Interstate0%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Minor collector0%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the Iowa share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.

Weather

Clear73%
Cloudy20%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain7%
Rain0%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Boone

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 30US highway14759125%17%
2US Route 169US highway1222227%5%

Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.

By year, 2015–2024

YearFatal crashesDeathsDrinking-driver crashesPer 100,000
20241–231–211.2IA 2024
202367026.2IA 2023
20221–21–20—IA 2022
20211–21–20—IA 2021
2020551–218.7IA 2020
20191–21–21–2—IA 2019
201844315.0IA 2018
20171–21–20—IA 2017
20161–21–21–2—IA 2016
2015441–215.0IA 2015

Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Boone County, Iowa?

3 people died in fewer than three fatal crashes in 2024; 19 over 2020–2024 and 32 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Boone compare with Iowa?

12.1 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 10.9 for Iowa and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Boone involved alcohol?

30.0% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 25.4% in Iowa. The factor furthest above the state share was alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 30.0%.

Which roads in Boone see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 30 (14 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 169 (1 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Boone?

Most often between 6am to noon (33% of crashes) and on Mondays (23%); 28.6% happened after dark.

Where does this data come from?

NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.

Provenance

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.