Iowa
Deaths in Crashes Involving Teen Drivers in Iowa
In 2008, 71 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Iowa. Over the past five years, Iowa crashes involving teen drivers claimed 436 lives. Nationally, since 1999, more than 84,400 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in Iowa
The current GDL law in Iowa includes the following components:
- A three-stage licensing system beginning at age 14 for learner’s permit, age 16 for the intermediate stage, and age 17 for full licensure
- A mandatory 6 month holding period for the learner’s permit stage
- A minimum of 20 hours of supervised practice driving during the learner’s permit stage, at least 2 of which must be at night
- A prohibition on unsupervised nighttime driving between 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. during the intermediate stage
- Require age 16 for entry into the learner’s permit stage
- Extend restrictions on teen drivers through age 17
- Add a passenger restriction prohibiting more than one non-familial passenger under the age of 21 unless a licensed driver over the age of 21 is in the vehicle, for the entire intermediate stage through age 17
- Add a prohibition on non-emergency use of cell phones and other communications devices, including texting while driving, during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages
