Fatal Roads

States › Iowa › 2023

2023

Iowa · year

Iowa in 2023

Deaths 379Fatal crashes 330Per 100,000 11.8US deaths 41,025

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 2023.

In 2023, 379 people died in 330 fatal crashes in Iowa, 11.8 deaths per 100,000 residents against 12.2 nationally.

The death toll rose 13% from 336 in 2022 to 379 in 2023.

Iowa accounted for 0.9% of the 41,025 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

24.5% 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 (29%).

40% of the crashes happened between noon to 6pm; Saturday was the most common day.

← 202220232024 →All years

Compared with 2022 and the nation

MeasureIowa 2023Iowa 2022United States 2023
Deaths37933641,025
Fatal crashes33030537,769
Deaths per 100,000 residents11.810.512.2
Crashes with a drinking driver25%25%26%

Counties in 2023

Every county with a fatal crash in 2023, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 86 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Polk County37397.6337
Linn County222711.6154
Scott County13169.1164
Dallas County121412.160
Pottawattamie County131313.9118
Black Hawk County12139.8103
Johnson County9106.280
Woodbury County898.492
Webster County8821.759
Jasper County7718.445
Boone County6726.232
Marshall County6717.355
Louisa County5765.920
Harrison County4747.931
Sioux County6616.437
Union County3650.216
Cedar County5527.434
Clinton County5510.950
Fremont County5577.031
Iowa County5530.449
Floyd County4533.329
Greene County4557.722
Lee County4515.464
Plymouth County4519.443
Poweshiek County4527.129
Cass County3538.440
Winneshiek County3525.430
Davis County4443.517
Decatur County4452.223
Dubuque County444.066
Keokuk County4440.614
Madison County4423.330
Story County443.946
Mahaska County3418.230
Page County3426.616
Wapello County3411.241
Warren County347.156
Muscatine County1–249.548
Grundy County1–2432.216
Allamakee County3321.224
Carroll County3314.723
Clayton County3317.732
Crawford County3318.325
Franklin County3329.914
Buena Vista County1–2314.420
Clarke County1–2331.525
Jones County1–2314.233
Wright County1–2323.614
Benton County1–21–2—58
Buchanan County1–21–2—23
Butler County1–21–2—18
Chickasaw County1–21–2—18
Delaware County1–21–2—22
Fayette County1–21–2—29
Hamilton County1–21–2—30
Ida County1–21–2—15
Marion County1–21–2—37
Mitchell County1–21–2—14
Monroe County1–21–2—15
Montgomery County1–21–2—14
Washington County1–21–2—30
Osceola County1–21–2—15
Ringgold County1–21–2—14
Appanoose County1–21–2—17
Audubon County1–21–2—13
Bremer County1–21–2—21
Cerro Gordo County1–21–2—59
Cherokee County1–21–2—15
Clay County1–21–2—17
Des Moines County1–21–2—29
Dickinson County1–21–2—20
Emmet County1–21–2—11
Guthrie County1–21–2—11
Hancock County1–21–2—13
Henry County1–21–2—35
Humboldt County1–21–2—21
Jackson County1–21–2—31
Jefferson County1–21–2—14
Kossuth County1–21–2—19
Lucas County1–21–2—12
Lyon County1–21–2—15
Mills County1–21–2—32
Monona County1–21–2—29
Sac County1–21–2—21
Shelby County1–21–2—19
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

12am3%
1am2.4%
2am3.6%
3am2.1%
4am0.9%
5am2.1%
6am3.6%
7am4.2%
8am3%
9am2.1%
10am0.6%
11am3%
12pm4.5%
1pm5.2%
2pm5.5%
3pm7.9%
4pm7.9%
5pm9.4%
6pm4.8%
7pm5.5%
8pm5.2%
9pm4.2%
10pm5.2%
11pm3.9%

Weekday

Sunday16%
Monday11%
Tuesday13%
Wednesday14%
Thursday8%
Friday18%
Saturday20%

Road type

Other principal arterial29%
Major collector21%
Minor arterial16%
Interstate16%
Local14%
Minor collector4%
Other freeways and expressways0%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Iowa in 2023?

379 people in 330 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 2023 file, or 11.8 per 100,000 residents.

Which county in Iowa had the most crash deaths in 2023?

Polk County with 39 deaths in 37 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 2023 compare with 2022 in Iowa?

379 deaths against 336 in 2022 (+13%). Nationally the 2023 total was 41,025.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2023 national file (accident table, vehicle and person tables); US Census Bureau population estimates. Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.