Car Accidents in Des Moines, IA: Police Reports and Crash Data
Key crash statistics, high-risk roads, and accident report resources in Polk County, Iowa.
Within the city, Forest Avenue passes by Drake University, while SE 14th Street carries U.S. 69 across the Des Moines River on the south side. These major routes, along with the highways that border and cross Des Moines, are where much of the city’s traffic moves day after day. In 2023, most fatal crashes took place on these heavily traveled state roads and interstates, rather than on quieter neighborhood streets.
If an accident occurs, the specific road where it happens will determine which law enforcement agency responds and where you can get a copy of the crash report.
Getting Your Des Moines Crash Report
The Des Moines Police Department investigates crashes on city streets, and its Traffic Unit handles the fatal ones. The Iowa State Patrol also handles crashes on the interstates. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office covers unincorporated parts of the county.
DMPD crash reports go online at CrashDocs.org five to seven business days after the crash. Reports on fatal crashes and crashes still under investigation are not posted online and must be requested in person at the Records Section, 25 East 1st Street, whose lobby is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. The department says its fees follow state law and vary by request.
Iowa State Patrol reports can be viewed free at accidentreports.iowa.gov for 15 days after the crash, then come from the patrol’s district office. Iowa DOT also mails a copy of any investigating officer’s report for $4 to people involved, their attorneys, and insurers.
Iowa has its own driver report rule. If no police agency investigated a crash that caused injury, death, or $1,500 or more in apparent damage, each driver must send Iowa DOT an Iowa Accident Report, Form 433002, within 72 hours.
Not sure which agency holds your report? We can help you find out. Our Iowa accident resources cover the rest of the state.
Where Do Most Crashes Happen in Des Moines?
SE 14th Street and Maury Street recorded 284 crashes from 2017 to 2021 within about a third of a mile, according to the City, and Iowa DOT ranks it fifth in the state for total crashes.
- SE 14th Street (US 69) and Maury Street, south side. Iowa DOT counted 676 crashes here from January 2014 to February 2025, about 60 a year, and ranks it 10th in Iowa for fatal and serious-injury crashes. Most are rear-end, left-turn, broadside, and sideswipe crashes. The City plans to split the four-way intersection into two T-intersections, with construction tentatively set for 2027 and 2028. A recent two-car crash farther south on SE 14th Street, at Watrous Avenue, left one person hurt.
- 31st Street at Cottage Grove Avenue and at Woodland Avenue. The City counted 33 and 19 crashes at the two stop-controlled intersections over five years. Cottage Grove ranks fourth in Iowa for potential crash reduction among two-way stops. About two-thirds of the crashes involve a driver running the stop sign or failing to yield, and mini-roundabouts are planned for around spring 2028.
- Forest Avenue, 9th Street to Beaver Avenue. On the City’s High Injury Network, an undivided four-lane street through two neighborhoods and the Drake University campus, past King Elementary School and a park. It is in line for a safety redesign.
- 19th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. A City safety project added in response to residents’ concerns about speeding.
Traffic Deaths and Crashes by the Numbers
| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic deaths investigated by police | 12, down from 18 in 2024 | 2025 | Des Moines Police Department, reported by WHO13 |
| People killed in traffic crashes | 20 | 2024 | City of Des Moines Vision Zero annual report |
| Fatal crashes | 17 | 2024 | City of Des Moines Vision Zero annual report |
| Pedestrians killed | 5 | 2024 | City of Des Moines Vision Zero annual report |
| People killed in traffic crashes | 18 | 2023 | City of Des Moines Vision Zero annual report |
| Deaths on state highways or the interstate | 12 of 18 | 2023 | City of Des Moines Vision Zero annual report |
The 2025 figure is the police department’s year-end count. The 2023 and 2024 figures come from the City’s Vision Zero annual reports, which counted 20 deaths in 2024, while police reported 18. Pedestrians were involved in less than 2 percent of crashes in 2024 but made up 25 percent of the people killed.
Emergency and Trauma Care in Des Moines
Des Moines is also home to several major hospitals with advanced emergency and trauma care. UnityPoint Health Iowa Methodist Medical Center stands out as one of only two adult Level I trauma centers in all of Iowa, prepared to handle the most serious injuries around the clock.
MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center operates as a Level II trauma center, providing a high level of care as well. For children, both Blank Children’s Hospital and MercyOne Children’s Hospital are recognized as Level II pediatric trauma centers by Iowa Health and Human Services, making sure young patients have access to specialized treatment when it matters most.
Answers to Common Des Moines Crash Questions
Which Des Moines intersections have the most crashes?
SE 14th Street (US 69) and Maury Street, one of the highest-crash locations in Des Moines and Iowa, had 676 crashes from January 2014 to February 2025, according to Iowa DOT, which ranks it fifth in Iowa for total crashes and 10th for fatal and serious-injury crashes. The City also flags 31st Street at Cottage Grove and Woodland avenues.
How many people die in traffic crashes in Des Moines?
Des Moines police investigated 12 traffic deaths in 2025, down from 18 in 2024. The City’s Vision Zero report counted 20 people killed in 2024, five of them pedestrians, and 18 in 2023, when 12 of the deaths happened on state highways or the interstate.
How do I get a Des Moines police accident report?
Most DMPD crash reports are posted at CrashDocs.org five to seven business days after the crash. Fatal crashes and active investigations must be requested in person at the Records Section, 25 East 1st Street, open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
Do I have to file my own accident report in Iowa?
Only if no police agency investigated. Iowa Code 321.266 requires each driver to file an Iowa Accident Report, Form 433002, with Iowa DOT within 72 hours when a crash causes injury, death, or $1,500 or more in apparent property damage.
Polk County Accident Reports on Local Accident Reports
Fatal Pedestrian Crash on SW Oralabor Rd in Ankeny, IA
Two Dead After Police Pursuit Crash on Fleur Dr in Des Moines, IA
Driver Seriously Hurt in Vehicle-Train Crash on NE 102nd Ave in Elkhart, IA
Hit-and-Run Leaves Woman Critically Injured on MLK Pkwy in Des Moines, IA
Car Accident
Person Injured in Two-Car Crash at SE 14th St, Des Moines, IA
At Local Accident Reports, we cover crashes in all fifty states. But that’s not all; we also report the latest crashes county by county, not just state by state. Our goal is to give drivers and other road users reliable, up-to-date crash information for any location they’re interested in.
Here you can find some of the most recent crashes in Polk County, which covers Des Moines along with Ankeny, Altoona, and Pleasant Hill. Another recent city report covers a crash on I-235 near 63rd Street. The full archive is at Polk County accident news.
Des Moines is not alone. High-crash intersections across Iowa follow similar patterns, and recent accident alerts follow new crashes as they are reported.
Local Accident Reports compiles this information from public agency sources and published reports for general reference. It is not legal advice and is not an official police record. Fees, forms and deadlines change, so confirm with the agency before you send a request. Last updated October 2026.