Iowa traffic fatalities remain below the five-year average despite a slight 3.8% increase over last year, state transportation officials reported.
Garrett Reeder of the Iowa Department of Transportation delivered the safety update during a meeting of the state Transportation Commission.
“Overall year to date, fatalities are up 3.8% compared to 2025, but they are down 15% compared to the five-year average,” Reeder said.
October marked the fifth month this year where traffic fatalities matched or fell below figures from the same months in 2025.
“For most months the fatalities in 2026 have been much lower than the five-year average,” Reeder said.
January and March served as the sole exceptions through the first ten months of the year. Both months brought unseasonably warm weather that drove higher-than-average travel volumes.
“For the months of June through October, the warmest months of the year, fatalities were significantly lower than the five-year average,” Reeder said.
Crashes resulting in multiple deaths increased across the state during the current year.
State records show 18 multi-fatality crashes caused 37 deaths so far this year. That total compares to 12 crashes resulting in 24 deaths during the same timeframe in 2025.
Total roadway deaths reached 241 when Reeder presented his findings Tuesday morning. Officials updated that figure to 243 deaths by Tuesday afternoon.
The updated total sits 11 deaths above the count recorded on the same date last year. It remains 45 deaths below the five-year average for the corresponding period.
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