Fatal Roads

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FIPS19045

Iowa · county

Clinton County

Residents 46,015Deaths 2024 7Deaths 2015–2024 50Latest 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.

In 2024, the latest year in FARS, Clinton County (Iowa) had 4 fatal crashes with 7 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 42 fatal crashes and 50 deaths.

With 46,015 residents, that is 10.7 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 19% from 62 in 2005–2014 to 50 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 28.0% against 15.7% for Iowa.

48% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (24%).

7deaths in 20244 fatal crashes
30deaths, 2020–202450 over ten years
10.7per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 15.2
-2%vs Iowa ratestate 10.9 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01427197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 15 deaths1976: 27 deaths1977: 9 deaths1978: 10 deaths1979: 19 deaths1980: 11 deaths1981: 17 deaths1982: 12 deaths1983: 11 deaths1984: 5 deaths1985: 6 deaths1986: 4 deaths1987: 9 deaths1988: 25 deaths1989: 7 deaths1990: 13 deaths1991: 12 deaths1992: 5 deaths1993: 7 deaths1994: 9 deaths1995: 9 deaths1996: 10 deaths1997: 6 deaths1998: 6 deaths1999: 10 deaths2000: 5 deaths2001: 9 deaths2002: 10 deaths2003: 6 deaths2004: 6 deaths2005: 9 deaths2006: 4 deaths2007: 11 deaths2008: 3 deaths2009: 9 deaths2010: 5 deaths2011: 6 deaths2012: 9 deaths2013: 1–2 deaths2014: 4 deaths2015: 3 deaths2016: 1–2 deaths2017: 1–2 deaths2018: 6 deaths2019: 8 deaths2020: 4 deaths2021: 5 deaths2022: 9 deaths2023: 5 deaths2024: 7 deaths
People killed in crashes in Clinton County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 7 deaths.

Ten-year total down 19% (62 in 2005–2014, 50 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

MeasureClintonIowaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202410.710.911.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202415.211.011.5
Deaths, 2015–2024503,477389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024423,140358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.21.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-19%-10%+7%
Crashes on rural roads74%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 46,015 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking31%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver11.9%
Pedestriansshare of people killed4%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed28%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used53.1%
In darknesscrashes after dark42.9%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads73.8%

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 Clinton County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 42 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday24%
Monday19%
Thursday14%
Sunday12%
Tuesday12%
Wednesday10%
Friday10%

Light condition

Daylight52%
Dark, not lighted31%
Dark, lighted12%
Dusk5%
Dawn0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial36%
Major collector29%
Local21%
Minor arterial14%
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

Clear86%
Cloudy7%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain2%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow2%
Rain0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Clinton

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 30US highway5759125%17%
2US Route 61US highway5636716%19%
3US Route 20US highway1556415%22%

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
2024471–215.2IA 2024
202355010.9IA 2023
2022591–219.6IA 2022
2021551–210.9IA 2021
2020341–28.7IA 2020
2019881–217.4IA 2019
201866313.0IA 2018
20171–21–20—IA 2017
20161–21–20—IA 2016
2015331–26.5IA 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 Clinton County, Iowa?

7 people died in 4 fatal crashes in 2024; 30 over 2020–2024 and 50 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Clinton compare with Iowa?

10.7 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 Clinton involved alcohol?

31.0% 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 motorcyclists at 28.0%.

Which roads in Clinton see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 30 (5 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 61 (5 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 20 (1 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Clinton?

Most often between noon to 6pm (48% of crashes) and on Saturdays (24%); 42.9% 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.