New Laws for Iowa Teenage Drivers Could Be Coming Soon

A new bill is waiting to be signed by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds that would give teenage drivers new rights when they get behind the wheel.

KCRG reports that the last-minute bill almost didn't happen. In the closing days of the legislative session, lawmakers held back-to-back marathon sessions to get bills completed. A conference committee of 10 House and Senate members was selected to help break the impasse, according to KCRG.

The committee was selected because a majority of House and Senate lawmakers could not come to an agreement on the same version of the bill. KCRG reports that the committee, and eventually the House and Senate, did agree to compromise. Here are the details of the bill that they agreed upon, according to KCRG.

Drivers who are 14.5 to 16 years of age: Drivers in this age group can now drive to and from work.

Are they allowed to drive while at work? No, although there are exceptions for farm workers.

What hours are they allowed to drive? The bill would allow them to drive within an hour of when their shift begins and ends.

Does it matter how far away their job is located? Yes. Young drivers are limited to 25 miles each way.

Can they drive to and from school? Yes, and also to extracurricular activities.

What if they get caught driving when they aren't supposed to? They could lose their license for up to three months.

The big change here is the right for young teens to be able to drive to and from a nearby job. The bill will become Iowa law when Governor Reynolds signs the bill.

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