Iowa Teens Given Greater Driving Opportunities Under New Bill

Iowa law lets teenagers start driving themselves to and from school or to work on a farm when they’re 14-and-a-half. A bill ready for debate in a senate committee would let teens drive themselves to any kind of job if they’re at least 14 and a half years old. Republican Senator Adrian Dickey of Packwood says the proposal comes out of a study that also recommends suspending drivers’ licenses for minors who get traffic tickets or cause accidents.

Chaney Yeast, a lobbyist for Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines, says allowing younger teens to drive to work is unwise.

The bill would set a new limit for driving to school or work of 25 miles or 50 miles round trip. It also says a minor would have to be done driving with an hour after school activities or their workday ends.