House File 56 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 56 BY BYRNES A BILL FOR An Act requiring the use of lighted headlamps on motor vehicles 1 at all times of operation and making a penalty applicable. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1502YH (2) 86 ns/nh

H.F. 56 Section 1. Section 321.235A, subsection 3, Code 2015, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 3. A person shall not operate an electric personal assistive 3 mobility device at the times specified in section 321.384 , 4 subsection 2, unless the person or the electric personal 5 assistive mobility device is equipped with a headlight visible 6 from the front of the electric personal assistive mobility 7 device and at least one red reflector visible from the rear of 8 the electric personal assistive mobility device. 9 Sec. 2. Section 321.384, Code 2015, is amended to read as 10 follows: 11 321.384 When lighted lamps required. 12 1. Every motor vehicle upon a highway within the state , 13 at any time from sunset to sunrise, and at such other times 14 when conditions such as fog, snow, sleet, or rain provide 15 insufficient lighting to render clearly discernible persons 16 and vehicles on the highway at a distance of five hundred 17 feet ahead, shall , at all times, display lighted headlamps as 18 provided in section 321.415 , subject to exceptions under this 19 chapter with respect to parked vehicles as hereinafter stated , 20 or unless otherwise provided for in subsection 2 . 21 2. Notwithstanding subsection 1, certain lighting devices, 22 as designated in this chapter, shall be displayed at all times 23 from sunset to sunrise, and at such other times when conditions 24 such as fog, snow, sleet, or rain provide insufficient lighting 25 to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the 26 highway at a distance of five hundred feet ahead. 27 2. 3. Whenever A requirement is hereinafter declared as to 28 in this chapter regarding the distance from which certain lamps 29 and devices shall render objects visible or within which such 30 lamps or devices shall be visible , said provisions shall apply 31 during the times stated in subsection 1 of this section 2 upon 32 a straight level unlighted highway under normal atmospheric 33 conditions unless a different time or condition is expressly 34 stated. 35 -1- LSB 1502YH (2) 86 ns/nh 1/ 6

H.F. 56 Sec. 3. Section 321.392, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2015, 1 is amended to read as follows: 2 Every motor truck, and every trailer or semitrailer of over 3 three thousand pounds gross weight, shall be equipped with the 4 following lighting devices and reflectors in addition to other 5 requirements of this chapter , and such devices shall be lighted 6 at the times mentioned in section 321.384 , subsection 2 . 7 Sec. 4. Section 321.394, Code 2015, is amended to read as 8 follows: 9 321.394 Lamp or flag on projecting load. 10 Whenever the load upon any vehicle extends to the rear four 11 feet or more beyond the bed or body of such vehicle there 12 shall be displayed at the extreme rear end of the load, at the 13 times specified in section 321.384 , subsection 2 , a red light 14 or lantern plainly visible from a distance of at least five 15 hundred feet to the sides and rear. The red light or lantern 16 required under this section shall be in addition to the red 17 rear light required upon every vehicle. At any other time 18 there shall be displayed at the extreme rear end of such load a 19 red flag or cloth not less than sixteen inches square. 20 Sec. 5. Section 321.395, Code 2015, is amended to read as 21 follows: 22 321.395 Lamps on parked vehicles. 23 Whenever a vehicle is parked or stopped upon a roadway 24 or shoulder adjacent to the roadway, outside of a business 25 district whether attended or unattended during the times 26 mentioned in section 321.384 , subsection 2 , such vehicle shall 27 be equipped with one or more lamps which shall exhibit a white 28 or amber light on the roadway side visible from a distance 29 of five hundred feet to the front of such vehicle and a red 30 light visible from a distance of five hundred feet to the 31 rear, except that local authorities may provide by ordinance 32 or resolution that no lights need be displayed upon any such 33 vehicle when stopped or parked in accordance with local parking 34 regulations upon a highway where there is sufficient light to 35 -2- LSB 1502YH (2) 86 ns/nh 2/ 6

H.F. 56 reveal any person or object within a distance of five hundred 1 feet upon such highway. Any lighted headlamps upon a parked 2 vehicle shall be depressed or dimmed. 3 Sec. 6. Section 321.397, Code 2015, is amended to read as 4 follows: 5 321.397 Lamps on bicycles. 6 Every bicycle shall be equipped with a lamp on the front 7 exhibiting a white light, at the times specified in section 8 321.384 , subsection 2 , visible from a distance of at least 9 three hundred feet to the front and with a lamp on the rear 10 exhibiting a red light visible from a distance of three hundred 11 feet to the rear; except that a red reflector may be used in 12 lieu of a rear light. A peace officer riding a police bicycle 13 is not required to use either front or rear lamps if duty so 14 requires. 15 Sec. 7. Section 321.398, Code 2015, is amended to read as 16 follows: 17 321.398 Lamps on other vehicles and equipment. 18 All vehicles, including animal-drawn vehicles and including 19 those referred to in section 321.383 not hereinbefore 20 specifically required to be equipped with lamps, shall at the 21 times specified in section 321.384 , subsection 2, be equipped 22 with at least one lighted lamp or lantern exhibiting a white 23 light visible from a distance of five hundred feet to the front 24 of such vehicle and, except for animal-drawn vehicles, with a 25 lamp or lantern exhibiting a red light visible from a distance 26 of five hundred feet to the rear. Animal-drawn vehicles shall 27 be equipped with a flashing amber light visible from a distance 28 of five hundred feet to the rear of the vehicle during the time 29 specified in section 321.384 , subsection 2 . 30 Sec. 8. Section 321.405, Code 2015, is amended to read as 31 follows: 32 321.405 Self-illumination. 33 All mechanical signal devices shall be self-illuminated when 34 in use at the times mentioned in section 321.384 , subsection 2 . 35 -3- LSB 1502YH (2) 86 ns/nh 3/ 6

H.F. 56 Sec. 9. Section 321.415, Code 2015, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 321.415 Required usage of lighting devices. 3 1. Whenever a motor vehicle is being operated on a roadway 4 or shoulder during the times specified in section 321.384 , the 5 driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, 6 directed high enough and of sufficient intensity to reveal 7 persons and vehicles at a safe distance in advance of the 8 vehicle, subject to the following requirements and limitations: 9 a. Where ambient sunlight is of sufficient intensity to 10 reveal persons and vehicles at a safe distance in advance of 11 the vehicle without the use of lighting devices, the lowermost 12 distribution of light, or composite beam, specified in section 13 321.409, subsection 1, paragraph “b” , shall be used. 14 a. b. Whenever a driver of a vehicle approaches an oncoming 15 vehicle within one thousand feet, the driver shall use a 16 distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed that the 17 glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the oncoming 18 driver. The lowermost distribution of light, or composite 19 beam, specified in section 321.409, subsection 1 , paragraph 20 “b” , shall be deemed to avoid glare at all times, regardless of 21 road contour and loading. 22 b. c. Whenever the driver of a vehicle follows another 23 vehicle within four hundred feet to the rear, except when 24 engaged in the act of overtaking and passing, the driver shall 25 use a distribution of light permissible under this chapter 26 other than the uppermost distribution of light specified in 27 section 321.409, subsection 1 , paragraph “a” . 28 2. The provisions of subsection 1 , paragraphs “a” “b” and 29 “b” “c” , do not apply to motorcycles or motorized bicycles being 30 operated between sunrise and sunset. 31 Sec. 10. Section 321.418, Code 2015, is amended to read as 32 follows: 33 321.418 Alternate road-lighting equipment. 34 Any motor vehicle may be operated under the conditions 35 -4- LSB 1502YH (2) 86 ns/nh 4/ 6

H.F. 56 specified in section 321.384 when while equipped with two 1 lighted lamps upon the front thereof capable of revealing 2 persons and objects seventy-five feet ahead under the 3 conditions specified in section 321.384, subsection 2, in 4 lieu of lamps required in sections 321.409 and 321.415 , or 5 section 321.417 , provided, however, that at no time shall it be 6 operated at a speed in excess of twenty miles per hour. 7 Sec. 11. Section 321.419, Code 2015, is amended to read as 8 follows: 9 321.419 Number of driving lamps required or permitted. 10 At all times specified in section 321.384 at least two 11 lighted lamps, except where one only is permitted, shall be 12 displayed, one on each side at the front of every motor vehicle 13 except when such vehicle is parked subject to the regulations 14 governing lights on parked vehicles. 15 EXPLANATION 16 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 17 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 18 Current law requires the use of lighted headlamps and 19 certain other lighting devices at any time from sunset to 20 sunrise, and at such other times when conditions such as fog, 21 snow, sleet, or rain provide insufficient lighting to render 22 clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the highway at a 23 distance of 500 feet ahead. 24 The bill requires motor vehicles to display lighted 25 headlamps at all times of operation on a roadway or shoulder. 26 The scheduled fine for a violation of this provision remains 27 $30. The bill also requires that, where ambient sunlight is of 28 sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a safe 29 distance in advance of the vehicle without the use of lighting 30 devices, the lowermost distribution of light or composite beam 31 shall be used. The scheduled fine for a violation of this 32 provision remains $30. 33 The use of certain other lighting devices remains mandatory 34 only at all times from sunset to sunrise, and at such other 35 -5- LSB 1502YH (2) 86 ns/nh 5/ 6

H.F. 56 times when conditions such as fog, snow, sleet, or rain provide 1 insufficient lighting to render clearly discernible persons and 2 vehicles on the highway at a distance of 500 feet ahead. 3 -6- LSB 1502YH (2) 86 ns/nh 6/ 6