Have You Been Breaking the Law in Iowa? It’s Not Pedestrian

In the heart of Iowa, where golden fields stretch to meet the horizon there is also a network of pathways connecting communities. From sleepy towns to Cedar Rapids, we shuffle at every street corner and pedestrian crosswalk. It could be amidst a cool spring morning or maybe the leaves are turning a shade of amber, and fall is setting in. It makes no difference what time of year it is if you run over a pedestrian.  It’s illegal in Iowa year-round. There are no breaks for holidays, birthdays, or anniversaries. I know, shocking!  

The Right Way 

If you are tooling around Iowa know that pedestrians could be lurking at any crosswalk, or random curb waiting to hop out in front of you. Next thing you know your hood ornament is a Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln from down the block.  excerpt for story about Iowa pedtrian right of way laws

You can save yourself a lot of heartache by following the law. I have not been following the law. My problem, turns out, is that I have been yielding too much to pedestrians.  

The Iowa Motor Vehicles and Law of the Road code 321.328, states  

I yield to pedestrians in a major way ever since living in Vermont. At the time the laws were different. When I moved to Rutland, I was warned that if someone stepped off the curb, anywhere, at any point, you must stop. They said I had a nice car. There were allegedly pedestrians who took advantage of that. My car was nice? Aw, thank you, but not really. It was an older Toyota. Not the greatest but it was still ticking.  

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Anyway, they were right. Pedestrians were confident, we’ll say that. In the years I lived there we never reported anyone getting hurt by doing that. Maybe they didn’t tell us, or it was just Vermont lore. I doubt it's lore because it looks as though the law was updated.  

What do you do?  

Here’s the crazy part, when you get out of the car. YOU are one of these pedestrians. Again, shocking! Be careful out there.