ATV Riding Laws – Iowa

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported 180 ATV accident deaths from 1982 through 2015 in Iowa. Although the state ranks below many others, it has a comprehensive set of laws for all-terrain vehicle operators to follow. For example, they must register and title vehicles driven on public lands, and present a numbered sticker. Registration is renewed annually. The exceptions are vehicles used for agriculture (only in the daytime) or by a political entity, or a vehicle registered and licensed in another state and operated in Iowa for less than 10 days.

As in many other states and jurisdictions, an all-terrain vehicle cannot be operated on a road, interstate highway, or freeway. The exceptions include if an underpass is abandoned or the only route of travel available. Drivers must traverse any road at a near 90-degree angle and the vehicle must be completely stopped before transported across the highway.

Who Can Operate an ATV in Iowa?

People under 12 are prohibited from driving one unless it is on private property. For anyone to under 18 to legally operate an all-terrain vehicle, they must have a safety training certificate. An Iowa ATV Safety Certificate is required for riders 12 to 17 years old. No vehicle is permitted to carry passengers unless the manufacturer has designed it for such a purpose. Anyone who operates a vehicle during dark hours must have the required illumination, namely working headlights and tail lamps.

Use on Public Roads

In January 2016, the Des Moines Register reported that 17 Iowa counties allow all-terrain vehicles to operate on public roads, following the injury of a teenage girl who had her right arm amputated after a crash. The number was expected to climb. Similar to Indiana and Minnesota, the trends mirror those seen elsewhere. Similar lifts in restrictions had been seen in Montana and West Virginia as well. The examples were used to illustrate the dangers of operating ATVs on paved roads, where over half of fatal crashes occur. Riders seeking places they can reach 80 to 90 mile-per-hour speeds isn’t helping the issue. All-terrain vehicle operators are more likely to lose control and flip over than drivers of standard motor vehicles.

New laws went into effect July 1, 2017, including one to allow ATVs to cross state highways, but at designated locations. This law is designed to support the recreational use of these vehicles, according to KMA Land. Another law requires only motorists who experience damage to their vehicle in an accident to steer away from traffic. It replaces a rule that requires a motorist to immediately stop at the scene, but remaining on the traversable part of a road increases the risk of a secondary crash. Drivers will now be required to get off travel portions of roads to increase highway safety.