Bill Text: IA HF56 | 2015-2016 | 86th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act requiring the use of lighted headlamps on motor vehicles at all times of operation and making a penalty applicable.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-01-22 - Subcommittee, Fry, Moore, and Olson. H.J. 143. [HF56 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2015-HF56-Introduced.html
House File 56 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY BYRNES A BILL FOR 1 An Act requiring the use of lighted headlamps on motor vehicles 2 at all times of operation and making a penalty applicable. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 1502YH (2) 86 ns/nh PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 321.235A, subsection 3, Code 2015, is 1 2 amended to read as follows: 1 3 3. A person shall not operate an electric personal assistive 1 4 mobility device at the times specified in section 321.384, 1 5 subsection 2, unless the person or the electric personal 1 6 assistive mobility device is equipped with a headlight visible 1 7 from the front of the electric personal assistive mobility 1 8 device and at least one red reflector visible from the rear of 1 9 the electric personal assistive mobility device. 1 10 Sec. 2. Section 321.384, Code 2015, is amended to read as 1 11 follows: 1 12 321.384 When lighted lamps required. 1 13 1. Every motor vehicle upon a highway within the state, 1 14 at any time from sunset to sunrise, and at such other times 1 15 when conditions such as fog, snow, sleet, or rain provide 1 16 insufficient lighting to render clearly discernible persons 1 17 and vehicles on the highway at a distance of five hundred 1 18 feet ahead,shall, at all times, display lighted headlamps as 1 19 provided in section 321.415, subject to exceptions under this 1 20 chapter with respect to parked vehiclesas hereinafter stated, 1 21 or unless otherwise provided for in subsection 2. 1 22 2. Notwithstanding subsection 1, certain lighting devices, 1 23 as designated in this chapter, shall be displayed at all times 1 24 from sunset to sunrise, and at such other times when conditions 1 25 such as fog, snow, sleet, or rain provide insufficient lighting 1 26 to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the 1 27 highway at a distance of five hundred feet ahead. 1 282.3.WheneverA requirementis hereinafter declared as to 1 29in this chapter regarding the distance from which certain lamps 1 30 and devices shall render objects visible or within which such 1 31 lamps or devices shall be visible, said provisionsshall apply 1 32 during the times stated in subsection1of this section2 upon 1 33 a straight level unlighted highway under normal atmospheric 1 34 conditions unless a different time or condition is expressly 1 35 stated. 2 1 Sec. 3. Section 321.392, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2015, 2 2 is amended to read as follows: 2 3 Every motor truck, and every trailer or semitrailer of over 2 4 three thousand pounds gross weight, shall be equipped with the 2 5 following lighting devices and reflectors in addition to other 2 6 requirements of this chapter, and such devices shall be lighted 2 7 at the times mentioned in section 321.384, subsection 2. 2 8 Sec. 4. Section 321.394, Code 2015, is amended to read as 2 9 follows: 2 10 321.394 Lamp or flag on projecting load. 2 11 Whenever the load upon any vehicle extends to the rear four 2 12 feet or more beyond the bed or body of such vehicle there 2 13 shall be displayed at the extreme rear end of the load, at the 2 14 times specified in section 321.384, subsection 2, a red light 2 15 or lantern plainly visible from a distance of at least five 2 16 hundred feet to the sides and rear. The red light or lantern 2 17 required under this section shall be in addition to the red 2 18 rear light required upon every vehicle. At any other time 2 19 there shall be displayed at the extreme rear end of such load a 2 20 red flag or cloth not less than sixteen inches square. 2 21 Sec. 5. Section 321.395, Code 2015, is amended to read as 2 22 follows: 2 23 321.395 Lamps on parked vehicles. 2 24 Whenever a vehicle is parked or stopped upon a roadway 2 25 or shoulder adjacent to the roadway, outside of a business 2 26 district whether attended or unattended during the times 2 27 mentioned in section 321.384, subsection 2, such vehicle shall 2 28 be equipped with one or more lamps which shall exhibit a white 2 29 or amber light on the roadway side visible from a distance 2 30 of five hundred feet to the front of such vehicle and a red 2 31 light visible from a distance of five hundred feet to the 2 32 rear, except that local authorities may provide by ordinance 2 33 or resolution that no lights need be displayed upon any such 2 34 vehicle when stopped or parked in accordance with local parking 2 35 regulations upon a highway where there is sufficient light to 3 1 reveal any person or object within a distance of five hundred 3 2 feet upon such highway. Any lighted headlamps upon a parked 3 3 vehicle shall be depressed or dimmed. 3 4 Sec. 6. Section 321.397, Code 2015, is amended to read as 3 5 follows: 3 6 321.397 Lamps on bicycles. 3 7 Every bicycle shall be equipped with a lamp on the front 3 8 exhibiting a white light, at the times specified in section 3 9 321.384, subsection 2, visible from a distance of at least 3 10 three hundred feet to the front and with a lamp on the rear 3 11 exhibiting a red light visible from a distance of three hundred 3 12 feet to the rear; except that a red reflector may be used in 3 13 lieu of a rear light. A peace officer riding a police bicycle 3 14 is not required to use either front or rear lamps if duty so 3 15 requires. 3 16 Sec. 7. Section 321.398, Code 2015, is amended to read as 3 17 follows: 3 18 321.398 Lamps on other vehicles and equipment. 3 19 All vehicles, including animal=drawn vehicles and including 3 20 those referred to in section 321.383 not hereinbefore 3 21 specifically required to be equipped with lamps, shall at the 3 22 times specified in section 321.384, subsection 2, be equipped 3 23 with at least one lighted lamp or lantern exhibiting a white 3 24 light visible from a distance of five hundred feet to the front 3 25 of such vehicle and, except for animal=drawn vehicles, with a 3 26 lamp or lantern exhibiting a red light visible from a distance 3 27 of five hundred feet to the rear. Animal=drawn vehicles shall 3 28 be equipped with a flashing amber light visible from a distance 3 29 of five hundred feet to the rear of the vehicle during the time 3 30 specified in section 321.384, subsection 2. 3 31 Sec. 8. Section 321.405, Code 2015, is amended to read as 3 32 follows: 3 33 321.405 Self=illumination. 3 34 All mechanical signal devices shall be self=illuminated when 3 35 in use at the times mentioned in section 321.384, subsection 2. 4 1 Sec. 9. Section 321.415, Code 2015, is amended to read as 4 2 follows: 4 3 321.415 Required usage of lighting devices. 4 4 1. Whenever a motor vehicle is being operated on a roadway 4 5 or shoulderduring the times specified in section 321.384, the 4 6 driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, 4 7 directed high enough and of sufficient intensity to reveal 4 8 persons and vehicles at a safe distance in advance of the 4 9 vehicle, subject to the following requirements and limitations: 4 10 a. Where ambient sunlight is of sufficient intensity to 4 11 reveal persons and vehicles at a safe distance in advance of 4 12 the vehicle without the use of lighting devices, the lowermost 4 13 distribution of light, or composite beam, specified in section 4 14 321.409, subsection 1, paragraph "b", shall be used. 4 15a.b. Whenever a driver of a vehicle approaches an oncoming 4 16 vehicle within one thousand feet, the driver shall use a 4 17 distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed that the 4 18 glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the oncoming 4 19 driver. The lowermost distribution of light, or composite 4 20 beam, specified in section 321.409, subsection 1, paragraph 4 21 "b", shall be deemed to avoid glare at all times, regardless of 4 22 road contour and loading. 4 23b.c. Whenever the driver of a vehicle follows another 4 24 vehicle within four hundred feet to the rear, except when 4 25 engaged in the act of overtaking and passing, the driver shall 4 26 use a distribution of light permissible under this chapter 4 27 other than the uppermost distribution of light specified in 4 28 section 321.409, subsection 1, paragraph "a". 4 29 2. The provisions of subsection 1, paragraphs"a""b" and 4 30"b""c", do not apply to motorcycles or motorized bicycles being 4 31 operated between sunrise and sunset. 4 32 Sec. 10. Section 321.418, Code 2015, is amended to read as 4 33 follows: 4 34 321.418 Alternate road=lighting equipment. 4 35 Any motor vehicle may be operatedunder the conditions 5 1 specified in section 321.384 whenwhile equipped with two 5 2 lighted lamps upon the front thereof capable of revealing 5 3 persons and objects seventy=five feet ahead under the 5 4 conditions specified in section 321.384, subsection 2, in 5 5 lieu of lamps required in sections 321.409 and 321.415, or 5 6 section 321.417, provided, however, that at no time shall it be 5 7 operated at a speed in excess of twenty miles per hour. 5 8 Sec. 11. Section 321.419, Code 2015, is amended to read as 5 9 follows: 5 10 321.419 Number of driving lamps required or permitted. 5 11 At all timesspecified in section 321.384at least two 5 12 lighted lamps, except where one only is permitted, shall be 5 13 displayed, one on each side at the front of every motor vehicle 5 14 except when such vehicle is parked subject to the regulations 5 15 governing lights on parked vehicles. 5 16 EXPLANATION 5 17 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 5 18 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 5 19 Current law requires the use of lighted headlamps and 5 20 certain other lighting devices at any time from sunset to 5 21 sunrise, and at such other times when conditions such as fog, 5 22 snow, sleet, or rain provide insufficient lighting to render 5 23 clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the highway at a 5 24 distance of 500 feet ahead. 5 25 The bill requires motor vehicles to display lighted 5 26 headlamps at all times of operation on a roadway or shoulder. 5 27 The scheduled fine for a violation of this provision remains 5 28 $30. The bill also requires that, where ambient sunlight is of 5 29 sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a safe 5 30 distance in advance of the vehicle without the use of lighting 5 31 devices, the lowermost distribution of light or composite beam 5 32 shall be used. The scheduled fine for a violation of this 5 33 provision remains $30. 5 34 The use of certain other lighting devices remains mandatory 5 35 only at all times from sunset to sunrise, and at such other 6 1 times when conditions such as fog, snow, sleet, or rain provide 6 2 insufficient lighting to render clearly discernible persons and 6 3 vehicles on the highway at a distance of 500 feet ahead. LSB 1502YH (2) 86 ns/nh
