1. A person shall not operate an all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle upon roadways or highways except as provided in section 321.234A and this section.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 321I.10

  • All-terrain vehicle: means a motorized vehicle with not less than three and not more than six nonhighway tires that is limited in engine displacement to less than one thousand cubic centimeters and in total dry weight to less than one thousand two hundred pounds and that has a seat or saddle designed to be straddled by the operator and handlebars for steering control. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • Days: means calendar days. See Iowa Code 322G.2
  • Driver: means a person who operates a motor vehicle for the transportation of railroad workers in the motor vehicle on behalf of a railroad worker transportation company, whether the person is employed by the company for wages or drives for the company as an independent contractor. See Iowa Code 327F.39
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • highway: means the entire width between property lines of every way or place of whatever nature when any part thereof is open to the use of the public, as a matter of right, for purposes of vehicular travel, except in public areas in which the boundary shall be thirty-three feet each side of the center line of the roadway. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Motor vehicle: means a self-propelled vehicle purchased or leased in this state, except as provided in section 322G. See Iowa Code 322G.2
  • Off-road utility vehicle: includes the following vehicles:
     (1) "Off-road utility vehicle - type 1" means an off-road utility vehicle with a total dry weight of one thousand two hundred pounds or less and a width of fifty inches or less. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • Operate: means to ride in or on, other than as a passenger, use, or control the operation of an all-terrain vehicle in any manner, whether or not the all-terrain vehicle is moving. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • Operator: means a person who operates or is in actual physical control of an all-terrain vehicle. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • Person: means an individual, partnership, firm, corporation, association, and the state, its agencies, and political subdivisions. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • road: include public bridges, and may be held equivalent to the words "county way" "county road" "common road" and "state road". See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Roadway: means that portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • Snowmobile: means the same as defined in section 321G. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • Vehicle: means any vehicle as defined in chapter 321. See Iowa Code 321H.2
  • year: means twelve consecutive months. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. A registered all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle may be operated on an undivided two-lane primary highway that is not part of the interstate road system over the most direct and accessible route between any of the following locations:

 a. An all-terrain vehicle park or trail.
 b. A secondary road on which such vehicles are authorized to operate under subsection 3.
 c. A city street on which such vehicles are authorized to operate under subsection 4.
 d. The vehicle operator‘s residence.
 3. a. A registered all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle may be operated on any of the following secondary roads:

 (1) An unpaved secondary road.
 (2) A paved, undivided two-lane secondary road over the most direct and accessible route between any of the following locations:

 (a) An all-terrain vehicle park or trail.
 (b) Another secondary road on which such vehicles are authorized to operate under this paragraph.
 (c) A city street on which such vehicles are authorized to operate under subsection 4.
 (d) The vehicle operator’s residence.
 (3) A paved, undivided secondary road or segment thereof, if authorized by the county board of supervisors. The board shall evaluate the traffic conditions on all such secondary roads under its jurisdiction and designate roadways on which all-terrain vehicles or off-road utility vehicles may be operated without unduly interfering with or constituting an undue hazard to conventional motor vehicle traffic. In designating such roadways, the board may authorize all-terrain vehicles and off-road utility vehicles to stop at service stations or convenience stores along a designated roadway.
 b. Notwithstanding paragraph “a”, a county may prohibit the operation of all-terrain vehicles and off-road utility vehicles on a secondary road or segment thereof under its jurisdiction as follows:

 (1) When the secondary road or segment thereof is closed to motor vehicle traffic pursuant to section 306.41.
 (2) When the secondary road or segment thereof is designated as a detour route pursuant to section 306.41.
 (3) For any other secondary road or segment thereof, for no more than seven consecutive days and no more than thirty days in a calendar year when the prohibited days are established by ordinance.
 4. A city may regulate the operation of registered all-terrain vehicles and off-road utility vehicles and may designate streets under the jurisdiction of the city within its corporate limits, and two-lane primary and secondary road extensions in the city, which may be used for the operation of such vehicles. In designating such streets, the city may authorize all-terrain vehicles and off-road utility vehicles to stop at service stations or convenience stores along a designated street. However, a city shall not charge a fee to operate a registered all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle within the city.
 5. All-terrain vehicles shall not be operated on snowmobile trails except where designated by the controlling authority and the primary snowmobile trail sponsor.
 6. An all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle may make a direct crossing of a highway that is not part of the interstate road system provided all of the following occur:

 a. The crossing is made at an angle of approximately ninety degrees to the direction of the highway and at a place where no obstruction prevents a quick and safe crossing.
 b. The all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle is brought to a complete stop before crossing the shoulder or main traveled way of the highway.
 c. The driver yields the right-of-way to all oncoming traffic which constitutes an immediate hazard.
 d. In crossing a divided highway, the crossing is made only at an intersection of such highway with another public street or highway.
 e. The crossing is made from a street, roadway, or highway on which the all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle is authorized to operate to a street, roadway, or highway on which such vehicle is authorized to operate.
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