US 69 in Iowa: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 48 fatal crashes on US 69 in Iowa killed 54 people, the 8th most of 137 numbered roads in Iowa. In 2024 there were 5 fatal crashes and 5 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 9 counties of Iowa. All fatal crashes in Iowa.
Deaths on US 69 in Iowa by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | 5 |
| 2023 | 7 | 8 |
| 2022 | 4 | 4 |
| 2021 | 8 | 9 |
| 2020 | 4 | 4 |
| 2019 | 3 | 3 |
| 2018 | 7 | 9 |
| 2017 | 5 | 6 |
| 2016 | 2 | 2 |
| 2015 | 3 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 69 in Iowa: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Polk County had the most fatal crashes on US 69 from 2015 to 2024: 22, with 24 deaths. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Polk County | 1 | 22 | 24 |
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 US 69 in Iowa
48 fatal crashes on US 69 in Iowa from 2015 to 2024 have a known time, too few for any one weekday and time of day to stand out. The worst hour is 8 pm to 9 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 | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 8.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 2.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 2.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan2.1%
- Feb4.2%
- Mar2.1%
- Apr6.2%
- May12.5%
- Jun12.5%
- Jul10.4%
- Aug12.5%
- Sep8.3%
- Oct2.1%
- Nov12.5%
- Dec14.6%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on US 69 in Iowa first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 63%; a pedestrian in 17%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 15%, a rollover in 4.2%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 30 | 63% |
| Pedestrian | 8 | 17% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 7 | 15% |
| Rollover | 2 | 4.2% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 2.1% |
| Parked vehicle | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other | 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 US 69 in Iowa compare with the state
The largest difference from Iowa: from 2015 to 2024, 48% of fatal crashes on US 69 in Iowa were at or near an intersection, against 27% across Iowa. Also above the Iowa share: hit-and-runs and pedestrians. Below it: rural roads and unlit roads at night. 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 48 crashes.
| US 69 | Iowa | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 52% | 72% | below the Iowa share |
| At or near an intersection | 48% | 27% | above the Iowa share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 13% | 28% | below the Iowa share |
| A drinking driver | 15% | 25% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| Speeding | 17% | 20% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 8.3% | 7.0% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 42% | 45% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| Hit-and-run | 6.2% | 2.0% | above the Iowa share |
| A motorcycle involved | 23% | 17% | about the same as the Iowa share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 15% | 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 US 69 in Iowa
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 69 in Iowa?
- 48 fatal crashes killed 54 people on US 69 in Iowa from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 5 fatal crashes and 5 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 69 in Iowa do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Polk County had the most fatal crashes on US 69 from 2015 to 2024: 22, with 24 deaths.
Other roads in Iowa with a page
All fatal crashes in Iowa, with every road ranked.
Where the US 69 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 69 in Iowa (filed under 20 spellings, such as "US-69", "US-69 170TH AVE", "US-69 LITTLE WALL LAKE RD", "US-69 N 14TH ST"). 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.