It wasn`t the scooters that were the problem, but the lack of clarity on how people could use their electric scooters. Thus, new legislation has entered into force to ensure the safety of scooter drivers, other road users and pedestrians. In Louisiana, scooters were legalized in 2019. People can use them on sidewalks and in any street/street with a speed limit. The scooter must have a maximum speed of 25 miles per hour, and riders must respect the speed limit at all times. Electric scooters are not currently regulated at the Pennsylvania state level, although the Senate bill would regulate 892 “low-speed electric scooters.” These are defined in the bill as “small electric or human-powered vehicles that weigh less than 100 pounds and travel no more than 15 miles per hour.” The bill “would allow some municipalities to determine where slow scooters could be used, although they are prohibited on roads with a speed limit of at least 35 miles per hour.” Florida legalized electric scooters in 2019, but limited them to riders as young as 16. Scooter riders must use designated bike lanes and ride at a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour. Do I need insurance for my electric scooter? In the United States, local and federal transportation agencies do not currently require electric scooter riders to purchase insurance. Drivers are only required by law to have a valid driver`s license.
The only places where you legally need electric scooter insurance are the state of Illinois in the United States and the state of Texas in the United States if the power of the electric scooter motor exceeds 750 watts. Nebraska doesn`t have many clear laws governing the use of electric scooters and advises riders to follow other traffic rules. The only explicit restriction is that electric scooters are not allowed on sidewalks. In Washington DC, a law was passed in 2020 that defines the e-scooter as a “PMD”, a personal mobility device. It is a type of motor vehicle designed to transport one person only. No license or other type of registration is required, but there are other restrictions. The minimum age to ride an electric scooter is 16 years old. You are not allowed to drive on sidewalks.
Cyclists over the age of 18 do not need to wear a helmet on shared scooters. You can ride on all designated bike lanes, but you are not allowed to wear headphones. Scooter riders must obey all traffic rules and traffic lights. And most importantly and somewhat disappointingly, the top speed allowed is 10 mph (16 km/h). This was developed with Share Scooter in mind. However, it severely restricts private owners. Hawaii Sen. Chris Lee, who chairs the state legislature`s transportation committee, predicts new infrastructure in cities like Waikiki to make electric scooter riders safer on the roads. “We have hundreds of millions of dollars for infrastructure upgrades,” he says. “So we want to push the city, we want to push the state. to create these safer ways for people to get around without having to ride next to cars, without pedestrians having to swerve and focus on scooters. Maine`s laws focus more on safety, and while people can use electric scooters, they need to make sure they have front and rear lights.
The diameter of your wheel must be a maximum of 10 inches and all riders need a license. PACTS pointed out that when legalizing private electric scooters, existing regulations (for rental electric scooters) cannot simply be applied to private electric scooters, which are used and built in very different ways. PACTS recommended that all regulations regarding the construction and use of private electric scooters include: Most states with moped laws will use the same laws to mandate electric scooters, and all states will expect drivers to make the decision responsibly and wear helmets at all times. In July 2019, the Wisconsin State Assembly signed a bill to regulate electric scooters on streets and sidewalks. Scooters must not exceed a speed of 20 mph or a weight of 100 lbs. Scooters are not allowed on sidewalks except in certain circumstances, and cyclists are bound by the same traffic rules as bicycles. The bill also allows local governments to regulate shared scooter operators and set their own rules for scooters under their jurisdiction. While people must register if they want to ride mopeds and bicycles, electric scooters are currently exempt, in part because they are not that dangerous to ride. In March 2019, House Bill 258 was enacted into Kentucky law.
It sets operating standards for electric scooters and allows them to ride like bicycles on public roads. This means you don`t need to register them with the state, buy insurance, or have a driver`s license. Electric scooters can be ridden by a person aged 16 and over. By law, an e-scooter must be equipped with a front white light and a red tail light to maximize visibility. Yes, many people are embracing electric scooters, including teenagers, hipsters, and executives, and – even better – there is a wide range of scooter models to choose from. All this highlights the impressive efforts of the following states to clarify the legal status of electric scooters and facilitate their daily use. The following states have very clear laws regarding motorized scooters and the operation of electric scooters. The e-scooter seems to be popular in Colorado. At least from a regulatory point of view. Electric scooters are allowed on roads with a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) or less. The same laws and regulations apply to bicycles. You can ride on sidewalks, but at a maximum of 6 mph (10 km/h).
Cyclists must be at least 16 years old to drive and those under 18 must wear a helmet. The speed limit is 20 mph (32 km/h). Some information says a license is required and others say it is not. Electric scooters are subject to the same laws as electric bikes and mopeds in Alaska. The basic restrictions state that no one should use an electric scooter larger than 750 watts, and 14-15 year olds need an M2 license, while people over 16 need an M1 or M3 license. Maximum speed is one of the most enforced rules for electric scooters. The most common speed limit is 20 miles per hour, which many may not expect, as they come from the shared scooter model, where scooters are almost universally maximized at maximum speeds of 10 to 15 miles per hour. The rise of electric scooters meant few people were sure of legality, and riders often clogged sidewalks, caused more traffic, and in some cases, accidents. Four of the states — California, Colorado, Massachusetts and New York — don`t allow scooters on highways, freeways, or restricted roads, as most scooters aren`t able to reach safe speeds to keep up with traffic. Electric scooters are legal in Nevada starting with AB485.
Scooters must not weigh more than 100 pounds without a driver and must not exceed a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour. Drivers must be at least 16 years old. Washington allows scooters at a speed of 15 miles per hour on roads and bike lanes. Any city can enact its laws regarding sidewalk driving and minimum age, but you`ll need to use reflectors at night. In California, electric scooters have more explicit laws, which makes sense because they`re so popular. Users must have a valid driver`s license, but they do not need to register an electric scooter. So let`s move on to the important question: Are electric scooters legal in America? Hawaii is one of the states without real regulation on electric scooters, so it`s common to see people driving them everywhere. One reason for this is that the ride-sharing program never really started in Hawaii, so authorities didn`t have to impose electric scooters. Washington passed a scooter law in May 2019 that legalized scooters and specifically called them “motorized walking scooters.” The revised Washington Code § 46.20.500 clearly describes a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour on roads or bike lanes. Reflectors are needed at night. Persons under the age of 16 are not permitted to drive unless expressly permitted by a local jurisdiction, and sidewalk driving is also determined from city to city. The state code also hints at slower speed standards that can be set for sidewalk driving.
Electric scooters are becoming more and more popular and common on our roads. But are electric scooters legal everywhere in the United States? The Parker Waichman team combed through scooters, mopeds, etc.