A. Motor Vehicles: Every motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, or motorized bicycle, when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and hold such vehicle, including two (2) separate means of applying the brakes, each of which means shall be effective to apply the brakes to at least two (2) wheels. If these two (2) separate means of applying the brakes are connected in any way, they shall be so constructed that failure of any one part of the operating mechanism shall not leave the motor vehicle without brakes on at least two (2) wheels.
B. Motorcycles And Motorized Bicycles: Every motorcycle and motorized bicycle, when operated upon a highway, shall be equipped with at least one brake, which may be operated by hand or foot.
C. Trailers: Every trailer, semitrailer, or travel trailer of a gross weight of three thousand (3,000) pounds or more shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and hold such vehicle when operated on the highways of this state. Every trailer, semitrailer, or travel trailer with a gross weight of three thousand (3,000) pounds or more shall be equipped with a separate, auxiliary means of applying the brakes on the trailer, semitrailer, or travel trailer from the cab of the towing vehicle, or with self- actuating brakes, and shall also be equipped with a weight equalizing hitch with a sway control. Trailers or semitrailers with a truck or truck-tractor need only comply with the brake requirements.
D. Newer Vehicles; Service Brake Requirements; Exceptions: Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, every new motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer hereafter sold in this state and operated upon the highways shall be equipped with service brakes upon all wheels of every such vehicle with the following exceptions:
1. Any motorcycle or motorized bicycle.
2. Any trailer or semitrailer of less than three thousand (3,000) pounds' gross weight need not be equipped with brakes.
3. Trucks and truck-tractors equipped with three (3) or more axles and manufactured before July 25, 1980, need not have brakes on the front wheels, except that such vehicles equipped with two (2) or more front axles shall be equipped with brakes on at least one of the axles; however, the service brakes of the vehicle shall comply with the performance requirements of Iowa Code section 321.431.
4. Only such brakes on the vehicle or vehicles being towed in a driveaway-towaway operation need be operative as may be necessary to ensure compliance by the combination of vehicles with the performance requirements of Iowa Code section 321.431. The term "driveaway-towaway" operation as used in this subsection means any operation in which any motor vehicle or motor vehicles, new or used, constitute the commodity being transported, when one set or more of wheels of any such motor vehicle or motor vehicles are on the roadway during the course of transportation, whether or not any such motor vehicle furnishes the motive power. (2008 Code § 17-430; amd. 2015 Code)