States › Iowa › Buena Vista County
Buena Vista County
Residents 20,816Deaths 2024 3Deaths 2015–2024 20Latest 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 20 people killed in 16 fatal crashes in Buena Vista County, Iowa, between 2015 and 2024, 3 of them in 2024.
With 20,816 residents, that is 9.8 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Iowa rate of 10.9 and below the national rate of 11.8.
The ten-year death toll fell 47% from 38 in 2005–2014 to 20 in 2015–2024.
Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 20.0% against 15.7% for Iowa.
38% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Friday was the most common day (25%).
Trend since 1975
Ten-year total down 47% (38 in 2005–2014, 20 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
| Measure | Buena Vista | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024 | 9.8 | 10.9 | 11.8 |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 14.4 | 11.0 | 11.5 |
| Deaths, 2015–2024 | 20 | 3,477 | 389,190 |
| Fatal crashes, 2015–2024 | 16 | 3,140 | 358,460 |
| Deaths per fatal crash | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Change vs previous ten years | -47% | -10% | +7% |
| Crashes on rural roads | 94% | 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 20,816 in 2024.
Factors
"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
| 12am | 3am | 6am | 9am | 12pm | 3pm | 6pm | 9pm | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tue | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fri | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sat |
Fatal crashes in Buena Vista County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 16 crashes with a known hour and weekday.
By weekday
Light condition
Road type
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
Routes with the most fatal crashes in Buena Vista
| # | Route | Type | In county | Fatal crashes | Deaths | Alcohol | Speeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US Route 71 | US highway | 5 | 30 | 31 | 17% | 7% |
| 2 | US Route 20 | US highway | 1 | 55 | 64 | 15% | 22% |
| 3 | State Route 3 | State highway | 1 | 27 | 28 | 30% | 15% |
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
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths | Drinking-driver crashes | Per 100,000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1–2 | 3 | 0 | 14.4 | IA 2024 |
| 2023 | 1–2 | 3 | 0 | 14.4 | IA 2023 |
| 2022 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0 | — | IA 2022 |
| 2021 | 1–2 | 3 | 0 | 14.4 | IA 2021 |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | IA 2020 |
| 2019 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 14.4 | IA 2019 |
| 2018 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0 | — | IA 2018 |
| 2017 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0 | — | IA 2017 |
| 2016 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | — | IA 2016 |
| 2015 | 1–2 | 3 | 1–2 | 14.4 | IA 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 Buena Vista County, Iowa?
3 people died in fewer than three fatal crashes in 2024; 10 over 2020–2024 and 20 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
How does Buena Vista compare with Iowa?
9.8 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 Buena Vista involved alcohol?
12.5% 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 motorcyclists at 20.0%.
Which roads in Buena Vista see the most fatal crashes?
Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 71 (5 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 20 (1 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 3 (1 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).
When do fatal crashes happen in Buena Vista?
Most often between 6pm to midnight (38% of crashes) and on Fridays (25%); 37.5% 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.