DAVENPORT, Iowa — Under Iowa law, drivers only have to yield to pedestrians on foot. That puts people in wheelchairs, strollers and on bicycles at risk when using crosswalks. But in a few months, that's going to change.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a law changing the definition of a pedestrian earlier in May — it now includes anyone on a "pedestrian conveyance." That includes wheelchairs, strollers, skateboards and scooters. By changing the language, drivers are now required to yield to all types of pedestrians at crosswalks. Drivers also have to yield to bicyclists.
Cara Hamann, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Iowa, studies traffic safety. She said the current law's language leaves legal loopholes open.
"That means that if someone was not on foot—like a baby in a stroller person in a wheelchair—it could very well go that the way the law is interpreted, the driver didn't have to yield to those road users," Hamann said. "So ultimately, a driver could walk away with no consequences after hitting someone that is not on foot in a crosswalk."
Since 2021, 16 pedestrians have been killed in car accidents in Scott County, according to the Iowa DOT. In that same period, there have been 129 accidents involving pedestrians.
Hamann said the law change aligns Iowa with neighboring states. In Illinois, pedestrians are defined as anyone on foot or on in-line skates, including those with physical disabilities.
"I think it really just sends a signal in the state about the importance of traffic safety, and the importance of protecting all road users, not just people in vehicles," Hamann said.
Hamann isn't the only one advocating for road safety. The Iowa Bicycle Coalition has been lobbying for the crosswalk law for several years, along with a law mandating hands-free phone use for drivers.
As executive director of the coalition, Luke Hoffman works with legislators to keep everyone safe on the road — including himself. He was nearly hit by a car on a crosswalk last October while riding on the Great Western Trail in Des Moines.
"It really felt like the universe was speaking to me, saying, 'We need to protect all people who maybe were not as lucky as I am,'" Hoffman said.
When the new law takes effect July 1, everyone can use crosswalks more confidently — no matter how they cross them.
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