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1975

Iowa · year

Iowa in 1975

Deaths 670Fatal crashes 575Per 100,000 —US deaths 44,525

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. Final FARS file for 1975.

In 1975, 670 people died in 575 fatal crashes in Iowa.

Iowa accounted for 1.5% of the 44,525 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

24.9% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

30% of the crashes happened between noon to 6pm; Saturday was the most common day.

Compared with 1974 and the nation

MeasureIowa 1975—United States 1975
Deaths670—44,525
Fatal crashes575—39,161
Deaths per 100,000 residents———
Crashes with a drinking driver25%—19%

Counties in 1975

Every county with a fatal crash in 1975, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 98 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Polk County39479.1337
Linn County212510.8154
Woodbury County212321.492
Black Hawk County192216.6103
Scott County191910.8164
Johnson County171911.980
Wapello County141953.241
Cerro Gordo County161637.759
Dubuque County131616.166
Poweshiek County91686.729
Clinton County141532.650
Pottawattamie County111313.9118
Lee County121237.164
Jasper County111231.545
Mahaska County81149.930
Fayette County81052.229
Webster County81027.159
Warren County71017.756
Buchanan County8943.423
Jackson County7946.431
Harrison County8854.731
Floyd County7853.329
Marshall County7819.855
Appanoose County6866.117
Jones County6837.933
Cherokee County1–2868.615
Cass County7753.740
Delaware County7739.822
Shelby County7759.219
Tama County7741.825
Benton County6727.158
Boone County6726.232
Jefferson County6744.414
Van Buren County6797.011
Sioux County5719.137
Union County5758.616
Calhoun County6661.813
Cedar County6632.934
Des Moines County6615.629
Chickasaw County5651.218
Clayton County5635.432
Humboldt County5662.421
Marion County5617.637
Decatur County4678.423
Washington County4626.530
Hamilton County5533.730
Lyon County5540.415
Sac County5552.421
Greene County4557.722
Grundy County4540.316
Henry County4525.835
Monona County4559.329
Muscatine County4511.948
Pocahontas County4571.411
Allamakee County4428.224
Crawford County4424.425
Ida County4458.715
Iowa County4424.449
Madison County4423.330
Mitchell County4437.614
Winneshiek County4420.330
Clarke County3442.025
Dallas County343.560
Kossuth County3427.819
Story County343.946
Winnebago County3438.510
Adair County1–2453.830
Buena Vista County3314.420
Butler County3321.218
Emmet County3332.711
Franklin County3329.914
Fremont County3346.231
Hancock County3328.313
Monroe County3340.715
Palo Alto County3334.111
Plymouth County3311.643
Worth County3341.118
Wright County3323.614
Guthrie County1–2327.811
Howard County1–2332.18
Osceola County1–2349.715
Carroll County1–21–2—23
Clay County1–21–2—17
Dickinson County1–21–2—20
Hardin County1–21–2—31
Keokuk County1–21–2—14
Lucas County1–21–2—12
Page County1–21–2—16
Ringgold County1–21–2—14
Taylor County1–21–2—8
Adams County1–21–2—6
Audubon County1–21–2—13
Bremer County1–21–2—21
Davis County1–21–2—17
Louisa County1–21–2—20
Mills County1–21–2—32
Montgomery County1–21–2—14
O'Brien County1–21–2—20

Per 100,000 uses the 2024 population estimate for every year, so early-year rates are understated where a county has grown.

Hour of day

12am5.5%
1am4.9%
2am8.6%
3am2.6%
4am1.1%
5am2.1%
6am2.1%
7am3%
8am1.8%
9am3%
10am3.5%
11am3.5%
12pm3.5%
1pm4%
2pm4.2%
3pm5.6%
4pm6.7%
5pm5.6%
6pm6.9%
7pm5.3%
8pm4.2%
9pm4%
10pm3.2%
11pm4.9%

Weekday

Sunday17%
Monday9%
Tuesday12%
Wednesday14%
Thursday13%
Friday16%
Saturday19%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Iowa in 1975?

670 people in 575 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1975 file.

Which county in Iowa had the most crash deaths in 1975?

Polk County with 47 deaths in 39 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1975 compare with 1974 in Iowa?

1975 is the first year in FARS; no earlier comparison exists.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1975 national file (accident table); US Census Bureau population estimates (no county estimates before 2000 are used, so no rate is shown for this year). Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.