I-80 in Iowa: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 156 fatal crashes on I-80 in Iowa killed 179 people, the most of any numbered road in Iowa. In 2024 there were 11 fatal crashes and 12 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 12 counties of Iowa. All fatal crashes in Iowa. I-80 in every state.
Deaths on I-80 in Iowa by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11 | 12 |
| 2023 | 22 | 26 |
| 2022 | 14 | 14 |
| 2021 | 14 | 15 |
| 2020 | 16 | 21 |
| 2019 | 21 | 23 |
| 2018 | 13 | 14 |
| 2017 | 14 | 14 |
| 2016 | 21 | 27 |
| 2015 | 10 | 13 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-80 in Iowa: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Pottawattamie County had the most fatal crashes on I-80 from 2015 to 2024: 21, with 21 deaths. Pottawattamie, Polk and Scott counties together held 37% of fatal crashes on I-80 in Iowa from 2015 to 2024; the 11 listed held 99%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pottawattamie County | 4 | 21 | 21 |
| 2 | Polk County | 1 | 19 | 22 |
| 3 | Scott County | 2 | 18 | 24 |
| 4 | Johnson County | 1 | 17 | 20 |
| 5 | Cedar County | 1 | 15 | 18 |
| 6 | Cass County | 0 | 15 | 17 |
| 7 | Dallas County | 0 | 13 | 17 |
| 8 | Adair County | 0 | 11 | 12 |
| 9 | Jasper County | 0 | 10 | 11 |
| 10 | Iowa County | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| 11 | Poweshiek County | 1 | 6 | 6 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on I-80 in Iowa
The heaviest slot is Thursday, 4 to 8 pm, with 10 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 5 pm to 6 pm; the worst month is December.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 3.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.6 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 6.4 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 5.8 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.5 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan8.3%
- Feb5.1%
- Mar5.1%
- Apr7.1%
- May10.3%
- Jun4.5%
- Jul11.5%
- Aug7.1%
- Sep7.7%
- Oct8.3%
- Nov10.3%
- Dec14.7%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Fatal crashes per mile on I-80 in Iowa
5.3 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 294 miles of I-80 in Iowa, against 4.4 for all interstates in Iowa. That ranks 1 of 2 interstates in Iowa and 127 of 172 interstate pages on this site.
Mileage from the FHWA Interstate route log (table 1), the only figure here not counted from FARS. Crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle: FARS records crashes, not traffic.
What fatal crashes on I-80 in Iowa first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 40%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 29%, a rollover in 15%, a pedestrian in 8.3%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 62 | 40% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 45 | 29% |
| Rollover | 23 | 15% |
| Pedestrian | 13 | 8.3% |
| Parked vehicle | 8 | 5.1% |
| Other | 5 | 3.2% |
| Cyclist | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on I-80 in Iowa compare with the state
The largest difference from Iowa: from 2015 to 2024, 0.0% of fatal crashes on I-80 in Iowa were at or near an intersection, against 27% across Iowa. Also above the Iowa share: unlit roads at night and pedestrians. Below it: drinking drivers and motorcycles. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Iowa. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 156 crashes.
| I-80 | Iowa | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 76% | 72% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.0% | 27% | below the Iowa share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 46% | 28% | above the Iowa share |
| A drinking driver | 16% | 25% | below the Iowa share |
| Speeding | 25% | 20% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 7.7% | 7.0% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 39% | 45% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| Hit-and-run | 0.0% | 2.0% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| A motorcycle involved | 8.3% | 17% | below the Iowa share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 11% | 7.1% | above the Iowa share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on I-80 in Iowa
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-80 in Iowa?
- 156 fatal crashes killed 179 people on I-80 in Iowa from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 11 fatal crashes and 12 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-80 in Iowa do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Pottawattamie County had the most fatal crashes on I-80 from 2015 to 2024: 21, with 21 deaths. Polk County was second with 19.
- When do fatal crashes on I-80 in Iowa happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Thursday, 4 to 8 pm, with 10 fatal crashes.
- How dangerous is I-80 in Iowa per mile?
- 5.3 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 294 miles of road, against 4.4 for all interstates in Iowa. That ranks 1 of 2 interstates in Iowa and 127 of 172 interstate pages on this site. FARS records crashes, not traffic, so this is crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle.
Other roads in Iowa with a page
All fatal crashes in Iowa, with every road ranked.
Where the I-80 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-80 in Iowa (filed under 10 spellings, such as "I-80", "I-80 I-35", "I-80/29", "I-80/HWY 6"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.