Fatal Roads

States › Iowa › 2019

2019

Iowa · year

Iowa in 2019

Deaths 336Fatal crashes 313Per 100,000 10.6US deaths 36,355

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 2019.

In 2019, 336 people died in 313 fatal crashes in Iowa, 10.6 deaths per 100,000 residents against 11.1 nationally.

The death toll rose 5% from 319 in 2018 to 336 in 2019.

Iowa accounted for 0.9% of the 36,355 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

26.2% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

By FHWA road function class, the largest share was on other principal arterial roads (26%).

31% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 201820192020 →All years

Compared with 2018 and the nation

MeasureIowa 2019Iowa 2018United States 2019
Deaths33631936,355
Fatal crashes31329133,487
Deaths per 100,000 residents10.610.111.1
Crashes with a drinking driver26%24%26%

Counties in 2019

Every county with a fatal crash in 2019, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 89 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Polk County34346.6337
Linn County14156.5154
Woodbury County131312.192
Pottawattamie County121313.9118
Black Hawk County10118.3103
Webster County91027.159
Scott County995.1164
Story County998.846
Johnson County795.680
Clinton County8817.450
Dubuque County888.166
Henry County6841.335
Cerro Gordo County6716.559
Adair County6680.730
Jasper County5615.745
Shelby County5542.319
Wapello County5514.041
Winneshiek County5525.430
Fayette County4526.129
Hardin County4530.431
Lee County4515.464
Marshall County4512.455
Crawford County3530.525
Benton County4415.558
Bremer County4415.821
Lyon County4432.315
Muscatine County449.548
Van Buren County4455.411
Clay County3424.317
Iowa County3424.449
Buchanan County3314.523
Buena Vista County3314.420
Dallas County332.660
Des Moines County337.829
Fremont County3346.231
Hamilton County3320.230
O'Brien County3321.020
Poweshiek County3316.329
Grundy County1–2324.216
Washington County1–2313.330
Ida County1–2344.115
Allamakee County1–21–2—24
Boone County1–21–2—32
Calhoun County1–21–2—13
Cass County1–21–2—40
Clarke County1–21–2—25
Clayton County1–21–2—32
Franklin County1–21–2—14
Harrison County1–21–2—31
Humboldt County1–21–2—21
Jackson County1–21–2—31
Kossuth County1–21–2—19
Marion County1–21–2—37
Mills County1–21–2—32
Monona County1–21–2—29
Monroe County1–21–2—15
Osceola County1–21–2—15
Page County1–21–2—16
Plymouth County1–21–2—43
Sioux County1–21–2—37
Worth County1–21–2—18
Mahaska County1–21–2—30
Adams County1–21–2—6
Appanoose County1–21–2—17
Audubon County1–21–2—13
Carroll County1–21–2—23
Cedar County1–21–2—34
Cherokee County1–21–2—15
Davis County1–21–2—17
Decatur County1–21–2—23
Dickinson County1–21–2—20
Emmet County1–21–2—11
Floyd County1–21–2—29
Greene County1–21–2—22
Howard County1–21–2—8
Jones County1–21–2—33
Keokuk County1–21–2—14
Lucas County1–21–2—12
Madison County1–21–2—30
Mitchell County1–21–2—14
Palo Alto County1–21–2—11
Pocahontas County1–21–2—11
Sac County1–21–2—21
Tama County1–21–2—25
Taylor County1–21–2—8
Union County1–21–2—16
Warren County1–21–2—56
Wayne County1–21–2—12
Wright County1–21–2—14

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

12am1.3%
1am4.5%
2am3.5%
3am2.2%
4am1%
5am1.9%
6am3.2%
7am4.2%
8am3.2%
9am4.5%
10am4.2%
11am5.1%
12pm3.5%
1pm4.2%
2pm4.8%
3pm6.1%
4pm5.8%
5pm6.1%
6pm8.3%
7pm5.4%
8pm2.6%
9pm4.5%
10pm3.2%
11pm7%

Weekday

Sunday14%
Monday17%
Tuesday12%
Wednesday11%
Thursday12%
Friday16%
Saturday19%

Road type

Other principal arterial26%
Local22%
Major collector19%
Minor arterial16%
Interstate12%
Minor collector6%
Other freeways and expressways0%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Iowa in 2019?

336 people in 313 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 2019 file, or 10.6 per 100,000 residents.

Which county in Iowa had the most crash deaths in 2019?

Polk County with 34 deaths in 34 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 2019 compare with 2018 in Iowa?

336 deaths against 319 in 2018 (+5%). Nationally the 2019 total was 36,355.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2019 national file (accident table, vehicle and person tables); US Census Bureau population estimates. Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.