Fatal Roads

States › Iowa › 2020

2020

Iowa · year

Iowa in 2020

Deaths 343Fatal crashes 310Per 100,000 10.7US deaths 39,007

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 2020.

In 2020, 343 people died in 310 fatal crashes in Iowa, 10.7 deaths per 100,000 residents against 11.8 nationally.

The death toll was about level between 2019 (336) and 2020 (343).

Iowa accounted for 0.9% of the 39,007 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

25.2% 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 (32%).

35% of the crashes happened between noon to 6pm; Saturday was the most common day.

← 201920202021 →All years

Compared with 2019 and the nation

MeasureIowa 2020Iowa 2019United States 2020
Deaths34333639,007
Fatal crashes31031335,935
Deaths per 100,000 residents10.710.611.8
Crashes with a drinking driver25%26%27%

Counties in 2020

Every county with a fatal crash in 2020, 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 County30387.4337
Scott County172112.0164
Pottawattamie County131313.9118
Linn County11125.2154
Woodbury County9109.392
Black Hawk County996.8103
Lee County8927.864
Plymouth County8934.843
Dallas County797.860
Warren County8814.256
Madison County7740.830
Iowa County6636.549
Adair County5680.730
Hardin County4636.431
Boone County5518.732
Mahaska County5522.730
Marion County4514.737
Cedar County3527.434
Mills County3534.032
Cherokee County4434.315
Clayton County4423.632
Fayette County4420.929
Fremont County4461.631
Jasper County4410.545
Jones County4418.933
Kossuth County4427.819
Muscatine County449.548
Wapello County4411.241
Clay County3424.317
Clinton County348.750
Lucas County3445.712
Benton County3311.658
Carroll County3314.723
Dubuque County333.066
Guthrie County3327.811
Jackson County3315.531
Johnson County331.980
Keokuk County3330.414
Louisa County3328.220
Marshall County337.455
O'Brien County3321.020
Page County3319.916
Sioux County338.237
Union County3325.116
Webster County338.159
Montgomery County1–2329.814
Adams County1–21–2—6
Allamakee County1–21–2—24
Appanoose County1–21–2—17
Bremer County1–21–2—21
Buchanan County1–21–2—23
Cerro Gordo County1–21–2—59
Delaware County1–21–2—22
Dickinson County1–21–2—20
Grundy County1–21–2—16
Humboldt County1–21–2—21
Mitchell County1–21–2—14
Monona County1–21–2—29
Sac County1–21–2—21
Story County1–21–2—46
Winneshiek County1–21–2—30
Wright County1–21–2—14
Hancock County1–21–2—13
Palo Alto County1–21–2—11
Washington County1–21–2—30
Calhoun County1–21–2—13
Cass County1–21–2—40
Chickasaw County1–21–2—18
Crawford County1–21–2—25
Davis County1–21–2—17
Decatur County1–21–2—23
Des Moines County1–21–2—29
Emmet County1–21–2—11
Floyd County1–21–2—29
Franklin County1–21–2—14
Greene County1–21–2—22
Hamilton County1–21–2—30
Harrison County1–21–2—31
Henry County1–21–2—35
Howard County1–21–2—8
Ida County1–21–2—15
Jefferson County1–21–2—14
Lyon County1–21–2—15
Monroe County1–21–2—15
Osceola County1–21–2—15
Pocahontas County1–21–2—11
Shelby County1–21–2—19
Tama County1–21–2—25
Taylor County1–21–2—8

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

12am4.2%
1am1.9%
2am2.6%
3am1.3%
4am2.6%
5am2.3%
6am2.9%
7am3.2%
8am3.2%
9am3.2%
10am2.3%
11am5.5%
12pm4.2%
1pm2.9%
2pm5.5%
3pm6.8%
4pm4.8%
5pm11.3%
6pm4.5%
7pm6.5%
8pm5.2%
9pm3.9%
10pm4.8%
11pm4.5%

Weekday

Sunday14%
Monday12%
Tuesday13%
Wednesday10%
Thursday17%
Friday14%
Saturday20%

Road type

Other principal arterial32%
Major collector20%
Minor arterial17%
Local15%
Interstate10%
Minor collector6%
Other freeways and expressways0%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Iowa in 2020?

343 people in 310 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 2020 file, or 10.7 per 100,000 residents.

Which county in Iowa had the most crash deaths in 2020?

Polk County with 38 deaths in 30 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 2020 compare with 2019 in Iowa?

343 deaths against 336 in 2019 (+2%). Nationally the 2020 total was 39,007.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2020 national file (accident table, vehicle and person tables); US Census Bureau population estimates. Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.