Title 49 — MOTOR VEHICLES

49-601. Application. The provisions of this chapter relate exclusively to the operation of vehicles upon highways, except where a different place is specifically referred to in a given section. They shall not apply to persons, motor vehicles and equipment while actually engaged i…

49-602. Unattended motor vehicle. No person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first locking the vehicle if the engine is running, effectively setting the parking brake and, when standing upon any grade, turning the front wheels to…

49-603. Starting parked vehicle. No person shall start movement of a vehicle which is stopped, standing or parked unless movement can be made with reasonable safety.

49-604. Limitations on backing. (1) The driver of a vehicle shall not back the vehicle unless that movement can be made with safety and without interfering with other traffic. (2) The driver of a vehicle shall not back it upon any shoulder or lane of travel of any controlled-acce…

49-605. Driving upon sidewalk. No person shall drive any vehicle upon a sidewalk or sidewalk area except upon a permanent or temporary driveway. This section shall not apply to any vehicle moved exclusively by human power, a personal delivery device, an electric personal assistiv…

49-606. Coasting prohibited. The driver of any motor vehicle when traveling upon a downgrade shall not coast with the gear or transmission in neutral nor with the clutch disengaged.

49-607. Opening and closing vehicle doors. No person shall open the door of a motor vehicle on a side available to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic, nor shall any person leave a d…

49-608. Riding in manufactured homes or commercial coaches. No person shall occupy a manufactured home or commercial coach while it is being moved upon a highway.

49-609. Persons riding animals or driving animal-drawn vehicles. Every person riding an animal or driving any animal-drawn vehicle upon a highway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this title, exce…

49-612. Obstruction to driver’s view or driving mechanism. (1) No person shall drive a vehicle when it is so loaded or when there are in the front seat a number of persons exceeding three (3), as to obstruct the view of the driver to the front or the sides of the vehicle, or as t…

49-613. Putting glass or other injurious materials on highway prohibited. The following shall apply to persons and vehicles not otherwise exempted from the application of this section by federal or state law: (1) No person shall throw or deposit upon any highway any glass bottle,…

49-614. Stop when traffic obstructed. No driver shall enter an intersection or a marked crosswalk or drive onto any railroad grade crossing unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection, crosswalk, or railroad grade crossing to accommodate the vehicle he …

49-615. Drivers to exercise due care. Notwithstanding other provisions of this title or the provisions of any local ordinance, every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian or any person propelling a human-powered vehicle and shall give …

49-616. Driving through safety zone prohibited. No vehicle shall at any time be driven through or within a safety zone.

49-619. Slow moving vehicles — Restrictions and exceptions, equipment — Emblems on certain machinery — Limited exemption. (1) It shall be unlawful to operate a slow moving vehicle on the highways at the following times and under the following circumstances: (a) From one-half (1/2…

49-623. Authorized emergency or police vehicles. (1) The driver of an authorized emergency or police vehicle, when responding to an emergency call, or when in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, or when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm…

49-624. Driver duty upon approaching a stationary vehicle displaying flashing lights. The driver of a motor vehicle, upon approaching a stationary police vehicle displaying flashing lights, an authorized emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights, a stationary tow truck display…

49-625. Operation of vehicles on approach of authorized emergency or police vehicles. (1) Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency or police vehicle making use of an audible or visible signal, meeting the requirements of section 49-623, Idaho Code, the driver of eve…

49-626. Following fire apparatus prohibited. The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow closer than five hundred (500) feet any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm, or stop a vehicle within five hundred (500) feet of any fire a…

49-627. Crossing fire hose. No vehicle shall be driven over any unprotected hose of a fire department when laid down on any street, road or driveway to be used at any fire or alarm of fire, without the consent of the fire department official in command.

49-630. Drive on right side of roadway — Exceptions. (1) Upon all highways of sufficient width a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half of the roadway except as follows: (a) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the rules governin…

49-631. Passing vehicles proceeding in opposite directions. Drivers of vehicles proceeding in opposite directions shall pass each other to the right. Upon highways having width for not more than one (1) line of traffic in each direction, each driver shall give to the other at lea…

49-632. Overtaking a vehicle on the left. The following shall govern the overtaking and passing of vehicles proceeding in the same direction, subject to those limitations, exceptions and special requirements stated: (1) The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceedin…

49-633. When passing on the right is permitted. (1) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions: (a) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn; (b) Upon a highway with unobstructed pav…

49-634. Limitations on overtaking on the left. No vehicle shall be driven to the left side of the center of the highway in overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, unless the left side is clearly visible and free of oncoming traffic for a sufficien…

49-635. Further limitations on driving on left of center of highway. (1) No vehicle shall be driven on the left side of the highway under the following conditions: (a) When approaching or upon the crest of a grade or a curve in the highway where the driver’s view is obstructed wi…

49-636. One-way highways. Upon a highway designated for one-way traffic, a vehicle shall be driven only in the direction designated at all or such times as shall be indicated by traffic-control devices.

49-637. Driving on highways laned for traffic. Whenever any highway has been divided into two (2) or more clearly marked lanes for traffic the following, in addition to all else, shall apply: (1) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and…

49-638. Following too closely. (1) The driver of a vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of the vehicle, the traffic upon and the condition of the highway. (2) The driver of any motor vehicle drawing …

49-639. Turning out of slow moving vehicles. On a two-lane highway outside an urban area where passing is unsafe due to oncoming traffic or other conditions, the driver of a vehicle traveling slower than the normal speed of traffic and behind which three (3) or more vehicles are …

49-640. Vehicles approaching or entering unmarked or uncontrolled intersection. (1) When two (2) vehicles approach or enter an unmarked or uncontrolled intersection from different highways at approximately the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right…

49-641. Vehicle turning left. The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left within an intersection or into an alley, private road or driveway shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction which is within the intersection, or so close …

49-642. Vehicle entering highway. The driver of a vehicle about to enter or cross a highway from any place other than another highway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching on the highway to be entered or crossed.

49-643. Highway construction and maintenance. (1) The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle or pedestrian actually engaged in work upon a highway within any highway construction or maintenance area indicated by traffic-control devices. (2) The driver of …

49-644. Required position and method of turning. The driver of a vehicle intending to turn shall do so as follows: (1) Both the approach for a right turn and the right turn shall be made as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway. (2) The driver of a ve…

49-645. Limitations on turning around. (1) The driver of any vehicle shall not turn the vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction unless such movement can be made in safety and without interfering with other traffic. (2) No vehicle shall be turned so as to proceed in the…

49-648. Obedience to signal indicating approach of train or other on-track equipment. (1) Whenever any person driving a vehicle approaches a railroad grade crossing under any of the circumstances stated in this section, the driver shall stop within fifty (50) feet but not less th…

49-649. Compliance with stopping requirement at all railroad grade crossings. (1) The driver of any vehicle stopped at a railroad grade crossing shall listen and look in both directions along the track for any approaching train or other on-track equipment and for signals indicati…

49-650. Moving heavy equipment at railroad grade crossings. (1) No person shall operate or move any crawler-type tractor, steam shovel, derrick, roller, or any equipment or structure having a normal operating speed of ten (10) or less miles per hour or a vertical body or load cle…

49-651. Emerging from alley, driveway or building. The driver of a vehicle emerging from an alley, building, private road or driveway within a business or residential district shall stop the vehicle immediately prior to driving onto a sidewalk or onto the sidewalk area extending …

49-652. school safety patrols — failure to obey unlawful. (1) It shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to fail to stop his or her vehicle when directed to do so by a member of a school safety patrol who is on duty and who is wearing the school-designated insignia of a…

49-654. Basic rule and maximum speed limits. (1) No person shall drive a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing. Consistent with the foregoing, every person shall drive at …

49-655. Minimum speed regulation. No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with the law. Notwithstanding any minimum speed that …

49-656. Special speed limitations. No person shall drive a vehicle over any bridge or other elevated structure constituting a part of a highway at a speed which is greater than the maximum speed which can be maintained with safety to the bridge or structure, when the structure is…

49-657. Work zone speed limits — Penalty. (1) No person shall operate a vehicle in excess of the posted maximum speed limit established for a highway work zone when the work zone is designated by appropriately placed signs indicating: the work zone; the reduced speed limit; and n…

49-658. School zone speed limit — Penalty. (1) No person shall operate a vehicle in excess of the posted maximum speed limit established for a posted school zone. If a posted school zone speed limit sign includes the words "when children are present," the term shall mean one (1) …

49-659. Stopping, standing or parking outside business or residential districts. (1) Outside a business or residential district no person shall stop, park or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended, upon the roadway when it is practicable to stop, park or so le…

49-660. Stopping, standing or parking prohibited in specified places. (1) Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, in compliance with law, the directions of a peace officer or traffic control device, no person shall: (a) Stop, stand or park a vehicle: 1. On the…

49-661. Additional parking regulations. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, every vehicle stopped or parked upon a two-way highway shall be stopped or parked with the right-hand wheels parallel to and within eighteen (18) inches of the right-hand curb or as close as…

49-662. Officers authorized to remove vehicles. (1) Whenever any peace officer finds a vehicle in violation of any of the provisions of section 49-659, Idaho Code, the officer is authorized to move the vehicle, or require the driver or other person in charge of the vehicle to mov…