Whenever any roadway has been divided into three or more clearly marked lanes for traffic the following rules in addition to all others consistent herewith shall apply:
1. A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from such lane until the driver has first ascertained that such movement can be made with safety.
2. If a roadway is divided into three lanes, a vehicle shall not be driven in the center lane except as follows: \n Tue Dec 09 22:17:00 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 321 (137, 2) §321.306, MOTOR VEHICLES AND LAW OF THE ROAD 198\n\n a. When overtaking and passing another vehicle where the roadway is clearly visible and such center lane is clear of traffic within a safe distance.
b. In preparation for a left turn or where such center lane is at the time allocated exclusively to traffic moving in the direction the vehicle is proceeding and is signposted to give notice of such allocation.
3. Official signs may be erected directing slow-moving traffic to use a designated lane or allocating specified lanes to traffic moving in the same direction and drivers of vehicles shall obey the directions of every such sign.
4. Vehicles moving in a lane designated for slow-moving traffic shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles moving in the same direction in a lane not so designated when such lanes merge to form a single lane.
5. A portion of a highway provided with a lane for slow-moving vehicles does not become a roadway marked for three lanes of traffic. [C39, §5024.10; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §321.306] 2010 Acts, ch 1069, §94 Referred to in §321.208, 321.482A, 805.8A(6)(k) For applicable scheduled fine, see §805.8A, subsection 6 Additional penalties for violations causing serious injury or death, see §321.482A \n
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
22
cases (
3 in the last 5 years), 1973–2022 · leading case:
State v. Tague, 676 N.W.2d 197 (Iowa 2004).
State v. Tague, 676 N.W.2d 197 (Iowa 2004).
· cites it 8× “At that same hearing, the county attorney argued Tague violated section 321.306 regulating laned roadways.”
State of Iowa v. Carrie McIver, 858 N.W.2d 699 (Iowa 2015).
· cites it 2× “The sergeant arrested Mclver for improper use of lanes in violation of Iowa Code section 321.306 (2013). 1 She was transported to the Polk County Jail for processing by a Polk County deputy.”
United States v. Horasio Herrera-Gonzalez, 474 F.3d 1105 (8th Cir. 2007).
· cites it 2× “Based upon the fog-line crossing and his concern that the driver might be impaired or tired, Faifer-lick stopped Herrera-Gonzalez for violating Iowa Code § 321.306 , which requires that “[a] vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall…”
State of Tennessee v. Linzey Danielle Smith, 484 S.W.3d 393 (Tenn. 2016).
“2d at 203-04 (holding that traffic stop under Iowa’s version of Section 123(1) was not supported by probable cause because, although motorist briefly crossed lane edge line, the state failed to prove “any objective basis to believe [motorist’s] movement was done without first…”
Vanderheiden v. Clearfield Truck Rentals, Inc., 210 N.W.2d 527 (Iowa 1973).
· cites it 4× “Neither was it claimed the plaintiff was undertaking to change from a lane marked for traffic under section 321.306. There was a separate claim the plaintiff violated section 321.”
Kearney v. Ahmann, 264 N.W.2d 768 (Iowa 1978).
“Therefore the provisions of § 321.306 are not applicable. The sole question is whether the trial court erred in telling the jury the roadway did not include the area of the street on which parking was permitted.”
State of Iowa v. Hector Martinez Lobo (Iowa Ct. App. 2019).
· cites it 11× “Iowa Code section 321.306. Drivers must keep their vehicles “as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane” and abstain from moving from one lane to another until first ascertaining “such movement can be made with safety.”
State of Iowa v. Bounmy Bounmy (Iowa Ct. App. 2017).
· cites it 8× “did not give the police probable cause to stop Tague for a traffic violation under section 321.306.” 676 N.W.2d at 204 . But this finding was based upon the court’s interpretation of Iowa Code section 321.”
State of Iowa v. Dukan Gatwech Wuol (Iowa Ct. App. 2022).
· cites it 8× “306 (1) (“A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from such lane until the driver has first ascertained that such movement can be made with safety.”). 16 See State v. Tague, 676 N.”
State of Iowa v. Lucas James Burbridge (Iowa Ct. App. 2015).
· cites it 12× “The State argues that the substance of the argument at the suppression hearing was the safety of the lane change and that section 321.306 is the 5 appropriate code section for us to consider.”
State of Iowa v. Joel Brooks (Iowa Ct. App. 2017).
· cites it 6× “” Our supreme court has explained the intention of Iowa Code section 321.306, which is nearly identical to section 114-306 of the City of Des Moines Code of Ordinances, as follows: The dual purpose of the statute is to promote the integrity of the lane markings on the highway…”
— Iowa Code § 321.306(1) — 7 cases
State of Iowa v. Hector Martinez Lobo (Iowa Ct. App. 2019).
“Iowa Code section 321.306. Drivers must keep their vehicles “as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane” and abstain from moving from one lane to another until first ascertaining “such movement can be made with safety.”
State of Iowa v. Lucas James Burbridge (Iowa Ct. App. 2015).
“The State argues that the substance of the argument at the suppression hearing was the safety of the lane change and that section 321.306 is the 5 appropriate code section for us to consider.”
State of Iowa v. Joel Brooks (Iowa Ct. App. 2017).
“” Our supreme court has explained the intention of Iowa Code section 321.306, which is nearly identical to section 114-306 of the City of Des Moines Code of Ordinances, as follows: The dual purpose of the statute is to promote the integrity of the lane markings on the highway…”
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treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.