Fatal Roads

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Iron County

Residents 9,420Deaths 2024 1–2Deaths 2015–2024 28Latest 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, Iron County (Missouri) had fewer than three fatal crashes with fewer than three deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 25 fatal crashes and 28 deaths.

With 9,420 residents, that is 28.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 84% higher than the Missouri rate of 15.5 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 24% from 37 in 2005–2014 to 28 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 32.0% against 36.5% for Missouri.

52% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Monday was the most common day (20%).

1–2deaths in 20241–2 fatal crashes
14deaths, 2020–202428 over ten years
28.5per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 21.2
+84%vs Missouri ratestate 15.5 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0611197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 11 deaths1976: 5 deaths1977: 6 deaths1978: 7 deaths1979: 8 deaths1980: 7 deaths1981: 1–2 deaths1982: 3 deaths1983: 8 deaths1984: 1–2 deaths1985: 1–2 deaths1986: 1–2 deaths1987: 9 deaths1988: 5 deaths1989: 5 deaths1990: 8 deaths1991: 6 deaths1992: 4 deaths1993: 6 deaths1994: 6 deaths1995: 1–2 deaths1996: 3 deaths1997: 5 deaths1998: 0 deaths1999: 4 deaths2000: 8 deaths2001: 6 deaths2002: 4 deaths2003: 9 deaths2004: 4 deaths2005: 5 deaths2006: 6 deaths2007: 6 deaths2008: 4 deaths2009: 0 deaths2010: 4 deaths2011: 4 deaths2012: 5 deaths2013: 1–2 deaths2014: 1–2 deaths2015: 4 deaths2016: 1–2 deaths2017: 3 deaths2018: 3 deaths2019: 1–2 deaths2020: 1–2 deaths2021: 1–2 deaths2022: 7 deaths2023: 1–2 deaths2024: 1–2 deaths
People killed in crashes in Iron County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 1–2 deaths.

Ten-year total down 24% (37 in 2005–2014, 28 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 Missouri and the nation

MeasureIronMissouriUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202428.515.511.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202421.215.311.5
Deaths, 2015–2024289,557389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024258,801358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-24%+5%+7%
Crashes on rural roads100%52%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 9,420 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking16%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver32%
Pedestriansshare of people killed3.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed7.1%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used76%
In darknesscrashes after dark28%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads100%

tick marks the Missouri 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 Iron County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 25 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Monday20%
Thursday20%
Friday20%
Sunday16%
Tuesday16%
Wednesday4%
Saturday4%

Light condition

Daylight72%
Dark, not lighted24%
Dark, lighted4%
Dawn0%
Dusk0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Minor arterial56%
Major collector24%
Local12%
Minor collector8%
Interstate0%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Other principal arterial0%

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

Weather

Clear58%
Cloudy21%
Rain13%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain4%
Fog, smog or smoke4%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Iron

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 32State highway5576119%30%
2State Route 21State highway4707416%27%
3State Route EState highway3515239%31%
4State Route NState highway2586136%29%
5State Route UState highway2424945%33%
6State Route 72State highway2323619%9%
7State Route KState highway1454627%40%

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
20241–21–20—MO 2024
20231–21–20—MO 2023
2022571–274.3MO 2022
20211–21–21–2—MO 2021
20201–21–20—MO 2020
20191–21–20—MO 2019
2018331–231.8MO 2018
201733031.8MO 2017
20161–21–21–2—MO 2016
201534042.5MO 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 Iron County, Missouri?

fewer than three people died in fewer than three fatal crashes in 2024; 14 over 2020–2024 and 28 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Iron compare with Missouri?

28.5 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 15.5 for Missouri and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Iron involved alcohol?

16.0% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 27.5% in Missouri. The factor furthest above the state share was speeding at 32.0%.

Which roads in Iron see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 32 (5 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 21 (4 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route E (3 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Iron?

Most often between noon to 6pm (52% of crashes) and on Mondays (20%); 28.0% 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.