Read the full stored bill text
House
File
770
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
770
BY
COMMITTEE
ON
PUBLIC
SAFETY
(SUCCESSOR
TO
HF
89)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
reasonable
and
prudent
following
distances
1
while
a
person
is
operating
a
motor
vehicle,
and
making
2
penalties
applicable.
3
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
4
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770
Section
1.
Section
321.307,
Code
2025,
is
amended
to
read
1
as
follows:
2
321.307
Following
too
closely.
3
1.
The
driver
of
A
person
operating
a
motor
vehicle
shall
4
not
follow
another
vehicle
in
the
same
lane
and
direction
of
5
travel
more
closely
than
is
reasonable
and
prudent,
having
due
6
regard
for
the
speed
of
such
vehicles
and
the
traffic
upon
and
7
the
condition
of
the
highway.
For
purposes
of
this
subsection,
8
the
distance
at
which
a
person
is
following
is
reasonable
and
9
prudent
under
clear
conditions
then
existing,
as
follows:
10
a.
At
least
fifty
feet
on
a
highway
with
a
speed
limit
of
11
thirty-five
miles
per
hour
or
less.
12
b.
At
least
one
hundred
feet
on
a
highway
with
a
speed
13
limit
greater
than
thirty-five
miles
per
hour
but
not
more
than
14
fifty-five
miles
per
hour.
15
c.
At
least
one
hundred
fifty
feet
on
a
highway
with
a
speed
16
limit
greater
than
fifty-five
miles
per
hour
but
not
more
than
17
sixty-five
miles
per
hour.
18
d.
At
least
two
hundred
feet
on
a
highway
with
a
speed
limit
19
greater
than
sixty-five
miles
per
hour.
20
2.
A
person
who
violates
this
section
commits
a
simple
21
misdemeanor
punishable
as
a
scheduled
violation
under
section
22
805.8A,
subsection
7,
paragraph
“c”
.
23
EXPLANATION
24
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
25
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
26
Current
law
prohibits
a
driver
of
a
motor
vehicle
from
27
following
another
vehicle
more
closely
than
is
reasonable
and
28
prudent,
considering
the
speed
of
such
vehicles,
other
traffic
29
on
the
highway,
and
the
condition
of
the
highway.
A
violation
30
for
following
too
closely
is
punishable
by
a
scheduled
fine
of
31
$135.
32
This
bill
provides
minimum
distances
considered
reasonable
33
and
prudent
while
a
person
is
following
another
vehicle
in
34
the
same
lane
and
direction
of
travel
under
clear
conditions.
35
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The
minimum
reasonable
distance
increases
in
increments
of
50
1
feet,
from
at
least
50
feet
to
at
least
200
feet,
as
the
speed
2
limit
on
the
highway
increases
from
not
more
than
35
miles
per
3
hour
(MPH)
to
greater
than
65
MPH.
The
scheduled
fine
for
a
4
violation
is
not
amended.
5
Pursuant
to
Code
section
321.482A,
if
a
person
is
convicted
6
for
a
violation
of
the
bill
and
the
violation
causes
a
serious
7
injury,
a
court
could
impose
an
additional
fine
of
$500
or
8
suspend
the
person’s
driver’s
license
for
not
more
than
90
9
days,
or
both.
If
a
person
is
convicted
for
a
violation
of
the
10
bill
and
the
violation
causes
a
death,
a
court
could
impose
11
an
additional
fine
of
$1,000
or
suspend
the
person’s
driver’s
12
license
for
not
more
than
180
days,
or
both.
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