House File 97 



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  GASKILL


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act requiring the use of headlights on a motor vehicle during
  2    any period of moisture accumulation and making a penalty
  3    applicable.
  4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  5 TLSB 1742HH 83
  6 dea/nh/8

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 321.384, Code 2009, is amended to read
  1  2 as follows:
  1  3    321.384  WHEN LIGHTED LAMPS REQUIRED.
  1  4    1.  Every A motor vehicle upon operated on a highway within
  1  5 the state, at any time from shall display lighted headlamps as
  1  6 provided in section 321.415 during the following times,
  1  7 subject to exceptions under this chapter with respect to
  1  8 parked vehicles:
  1  9    a.  From sunset to sunrise, and at such other times when.
  1 10    b.  Whenever conditions such as fog, snow, sleet, or rain
  1 11 provide insufficient lighting to render clearly discernible
  1 12 persons and vehicles on the highway at a distance of five
  1 13 hundred feet ahead, shall display lighted headlamps as
  1 14 provided in section 321.415, subject to exceptions with
  1 15 respect to parked vehicles as hereinafter stated.
  1 16    c.  Whenever there is moisture accumulating on the
  1 17 windshield due to misting, light rain, or other weather
  1 18 conditions.
  1 19    2.  Whenever A requirement is hereinafter declared as to in
  1 20 this chapter regarding the distance from which certain lamps
  1 21 and devices shall render objects visible or within which such
  1 22 lamps or devices shall be visible, said provisions shall apply
  1 23 during the times stated in subsection 1 of this section,
  1 24 paragraphs "a" and "b", upon a straight level unlighted
  1 25 highway under normal atmospheric conditions unless a different
  1 26 time or condition is expressly stated.
  1 27                           EXPLANATION
  1 28    This bill amends Code section 321.384 to require the
  1 29 operator of a motor vehicle to display lighted headlamps on
  1 30 the vehicle whenever there is moisture accumulating on the
  1 31 windshield due to misting, light rain, or other weather
  1 32 conditions.  Currently, the use of headlamps is required from
  1 33 sunset to sunrise and at all other times when conditions such
  1 34 as fog, snow, sleet, or rain provide insufficient lighting to
  1 35 clearly see 500 feet ahead.  A violation is a simple
  2  1 misdemeanor, punishable by a scheduled fine of $20.
  2  2    The following Code sections contain provisions which are
  2  3 linked to the times when headlamps are required under Code
  2  4 section 321.384 and are therefore affected indirectly by the
  2  5 bill:
  2  6    Code section 321.192, which requires the use of certain
  2  7 lighting devices and reflectors on motor trucks.
  2  8    Code section 321.394, which requires a red light to be
  2  9 displayed on projecting loads.
  2 10    Code section 321.395, which requires lighting on vehicles
  2 11 stopped on an unlighted roadway or shoulder.
  2 12    Code sections 321.397, 321.398, and 321.418, which describe
  2 13 lighting requirements for bicycles, animal drawn vehicles, and
  2 14 slow=moving vehicles.
  2 15    Code section 321.405, which requires self=illumination of
  2 16 mechanical signal devices.
  2 17    Code sections 321.415 and 321.419, which provide
  2 18 specifications for headlamps.
  2 19 LSB 1742HH 83
  2 20 dea/nh/8