Iowa (IA) Teen Auto Insurance Laws, Rates & Requirements

Male teen drivers currently represent the highest risk group of drivers on the roads today. Female teen drivers are the second highest risk group. Each year, more than 400,000 teen drivers are involved in car crashes and more than 5,000 are fatal. The state of Iowa believes that a combination of inexperience and overconfidence are the leading causes of fatal car crashes in the state. Iowa also points its finger at technology, such as mobile communication devices, MP3 players, text messaging, and sensor technology.

In the state of Iowa, young adults, ages 14-24 represent 17% of the drivers on the road, but they account for 40% of all fatal and serious traffic injuries. To successfully address these issues, on January 1, 1999 the state of Iowa began enforcing the Iowa Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) law. Within the first two years, the state saw a 27% decrease in teen traffic violations and a 10% decrease in teen car crashes. The GDL process is rigorous and the penalties for violating the rules involved are stiff. Continue reading to learn more about Iowa’s teen driving laws and the consequences for violating them.

Iowa Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) and Driver License Requirements

Iowa Graduated Licensing (GDL) occurs in three phases: instruction permit, intermediate license, and full license.

To obtain an instruction permit, you must be at least 14 years of age and pass a vision screening test and knowledge test. You must also provide the following documentation to the Iowa Department of Motor Vehicles:

•    Proof of identity
•    Social security card
•    Written consent of a parent or legal guardian

Once you receive your instruction permit, you must hold it for six months. During that time, you must complete 20 hours of supervised driving. Two hours must be between sunset and sunrise. You must also complete an Iowa approved or comparable driver education course to include:

•    30 hours of classroom instruction, which must include 4 hours of substance abuse education
•    6 laboratory hours (3 must be behind the wheel)

Your instruction permit will be stamped “under eighteen,” so you must follow the laws associated with your “under eighteen” status. In addition, your parent will not have the option to waive behind-the-wheel-drive time.

To obtain your intermediate license, you must be at least 16 years of age and meet all requirements of the instruction permit. You must also provide the DMV with written consent of a parent or legal guardian. Under the requirements and laws of the intermediate license, you must:

•    Hold the license for 12 months
•    Complete 10 hours of supervised driving, two hours must be between sunset and sunrise
•    Complete supervised driving with a parent, immediate family member over 31, or a designated adult over 25

Your intermediate license will be stamped “under eighteen,” so you must follow the laws associated with your “under eighteen” status, as well as all rules and regulations associated with the intermediate license in order to obtain your full license.

To obtain your full license, you must be 17 years if age and meet all requirements of the intermediate license. Written consent of a parent or legal guardian is also required. For driver’s under age 18, your license will be stamped “under eighteen,” and if you are under 21, your license will have the words “under twenty-one” printed on it. There are no restrictions on full licenses.

Iowa Teen Driving Laws and Enforcement

In the state of Iowa, instruction permit holders:

•    Must remain accident-free and violation free for 6 consecutive months immediately preceding application for intermediate license
•    May only drive with a parent or guardian, immediate family member over 21, driver education teacher, or driver over 25 with written permission from the parent or guardian

Under the laws of the intermediate license, licensees:

•    May drive without supervision between the hours of 5 a.m. and 12:30 a.m.
•    May not drive unsupervised between the hours of 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. Supervisor must be a parent or guardian, immediate family member over 21, driver education teacher, or driver over 25 with written permission from the parent or guardian
•    Must limit the number of passengers to the number of safety belts in the car
•    Must drive accident-free and violation free for 12 consecutive months immediately preceding application for full license

Drivers with a waiver may drive between 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. if they are driving to and from work or school-related activities. Up to age 18, all conditions of the intermediate license will remain in effect until the licensee has been issued a full license.

If a teen is involved in a traffic accident or he receives a violation of any of the conditions listed above or other traffic violations, the driver and the driver's parent or legal guardian will be required to participate in a remedial driver improvement interview with a Department of Transportation official who may impose additional driving restrictions or recommend suspension. The applicable accident-free and violation-free period will begin again with the date the traffic violation or the contributive accident took place. --Iowa Department of Transportation

Iowa Cell Phone Use/Texting While Driving Laws

As of September 2, 2009, there were no laws on record regarding the use of cell phones while driving in the state of Iowa. Several bills banning cell phone use while driving were on the table for 2009, but they all appear to be dead for the year. Iowa has been attempting to ban cell phone use while driving since the late 1990s.

Iowa Teen DUI Laws

In the state of Iowa, it is a crime for a teen to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration level (BAC) of 0.02% or higher. A BAC of 0.02% is as little as one beer, one glass of wine or one mixed drink for most people. It can be even less for some. Proof of a BAC of 0.02% is all that is needed to convict an Iowa teen of DUI. If you get caught driving with a BAC of 0.02% your license will be revoked for anywhere from 180 days up to one full year. You will not be able to apply for a restricted license for any purpose for a minimum of 60 days. You will also be required to participate in Iowa’s Youthful Offender Substance Abuse Awareness Program.

Iowa Teen Auto Insurance Requirements

In the state of Iowa, all drivers (teens included) must carry minimum liability coverage of at least 20/40/15, that’s $20,000 bodily injury coverage per person, up to $40,000 bodily injury coverage for all persons per accident, and $15,000 for property damage coverage caused in an at-fault accident. Iowa follows a Tort liability system. This means, there are no restrictions on lawsuits. What this also means is, if you are involved in an accident, someone must be found to be the cause or fault of the accident. The person deemed at fault is responsible for all damages. Damages are usually handled through the at-fault person's insurance company.

Because the risk of an auto collision is significantly higher during a teen’s first year behind the wheel and because Iowa follows a Tort system, Iowa auto insurance companies recommend purchasing higher amounts of coverage than the legal limits. If you plan to add a teen driver to your policy, keep in mind that your annual rate will increase anywhere from $1,200 to $4,900 a year - or an average of $2,171 a year.

An increase in your auto insurance premium is inevitable once you add a teen to the policy, but this doesn’t mean you can’t cash in on special discounts designed just for teens. Auto insurance companies offer discounts ranging from 10-15% or more for:

•    Maintaining at least a B average
•    Successful completion of a state approved safe driver course

You can also lower your premiums on teen auto insurance if you avoid purchasing sports and luxury cars for your teen, if you opt for a higher deductible, or if you combine insurance policies into one (i.e. life, home, health, renter’s, etc.).