Scooters are legal at the state level of South Dakota. A new legal definition and regulation for “motorized foot scooters” emerged as a result of House Bill 1084, which was passed by the South Dakota Legislature in March 2022. An electric scooter is defined as a handlebar and either a platform for standing or a seat. The maximum diameter for both wheels is twelve inches or less, scooters have a motor that can reach a top speed of 15 mph. Electric scooters today differ from electric bikes. Electric scooters are allowed on South Dakota sidewalks. Most states have a minimum age of 16, and states often require a helmet for minors under the age of 18. Others have expanded this law to require helmet use for all ages, and even if you are not required by law to wear a helmet, it is highly recommended for your safety. Electric scooters are subject to the same laws in Alaska as electric bikes and mopeds. The basic restrictions state that no one should use an electric scooter over 750 watts and that 14-15 year olds need an M2 permit, while people over 16 years old need an M1 or M3 license.

Lawmakers and law enforcement agencies around the world have struggled with electric scooters since Bird launched shared scooters in 2017. While the shared scooter phenomenon has created a low-carbon, cheap and efficient means of transportation for millions of commuters and joy seekers around the world, it has also triggered a flood of pedestrian complaints in the metropolis. While scooter sharing certainly has its benefits, it also comes with a number of obvious costs: sidewalk congestion, traffic obstruction, and accidents, as well as the danger, beautification, and health problems that a poorly maintained or vandalized fleet represents. House Bill 500, which went into effect to update section 321.1 of the Iowa Code of 2019, amends laws regarding electric scooters. The bill allows a person to drive an electric scooter on highways with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less, bike lanes and sidewalks. They can be parked wherever bicycles are parked, as long as they do not impede pedestrians` right-of-way. As they have many regulations for bicycles, there is no licensing or insurance requirement. Electric scooters must have a white front light and a red taillight. Alternatively, a red rear reflector can be used instead of the red taillight. Maximum speed is one of the most commonly applied rules for electric scooters.

The most common speed limit is 20 mph, which many can`t expect, as it comes from the shared scooter model, where scooters are almost universally regulated at top speeds of 10 to 15 miles per hour. In Louisiana, scooters were legalized in 2019. People can use them on sidewalks and on any street with a speed limit. The scooter must have a maximum speed of 25 miles per hour, and drivers must respect the speed limit at all times. New York is one of the largest electric scooter states, and much of this is due to the popularity of electric scooters in New York City. The state now regulates private scooters, so drivers must be at least 16 years old and anyone under the age of 18 must wear a helmet. Scooters and electric bikes do not need to be registered. Arizona passed laws (SB 1398) for electric scooters at the state level in April 2019. They are treated very similarly to bicycles, and a “standing electric scooter” is defined as less than 75 lbs in weight and 20 mph in maximum speed. California is both the birthplace of shared scooters (Bird in Santa Monica in September 2017) and the tensions that began in March 2018 with the launches of Bird, Lime and Spin in San Francisco without government approval – setting a trend for the shared scooter industry. The events of the following years eventually gave scooters a bad name while introducing several hundred million people worldwide to the possibility and potential of light electric vehicles. In July 2019, Alabama legalized electric scooters at the state level (Ala.

Code § 32-1-1.1), but left further development of the ordinances to cities/local communities. While some Alabama cities tend to struggle with the existence of electric scooters, others welcome the freedoms and amenities offered by the concept. Birmingham currently allows two bike and scooter sharing companies, Veo and Gotcha, to operate in the city. Drivers must be 19 years old and have a driver`s license, and scooters are limited to a top speed of 15 mph. However, the city doesn`t seem to have laws regulating private electric scooters, so drivers can contact local law enforcement before taking to the streets and risking a ticket or fine. In Auburn and Tuscaloosa, scooters are currently not legal on the road. Now that you understand the general laws about electric scooters, it`s time to look at the restrictions and legal requirements of each state. Yes. Under Michigan`s e-scooter laws, children under the age of 12 are not allowed to ride an e-scooter or skateboard “on a public road or road.” (MCL 257.658(9) Driving is not the only means of transportation in Texas.

When the weather is pleasant, many people opt for mopeds, which are also means of transport. Mopeds, which include scooters, have less gasoline, emit less pollution and are easier to park in urban areas than vehicles. If you plan to ride a moped in Texas in 2022, you`ll need to follow the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles` traffic rules. Otherwise, you risk getting a traffic violation – or worse, being involved in an accident. Louisiana legalized electric scooters at the state level in 2019. According to the DMV, Louisiana allows electric and slow scooters to run on sidewalks, bike lanes, and roads with speed limits of 25 mph or less. Only one person is allowed on the scooter at a time. Helmets must be worn by persons under 17 years of age. Texas does not have laws specific to electric scooters, and so they comply with Texas Transp`s existing DMV rules for “motorized scooters” (i.e. mopeds). Code § 551.351 linked.

This law does not allow scooters to be driven on roads with a speed limit of more than 35 mph and limits power to 750W. Electric scooters are exempt from safety inspection, licensing, registration and insurance requirements. Texas scooters are relatively unlikely to be regulated at the state level, leaving them largely unregulated and allowing cities and local communities to decide on regulations for themselves. Many Texas cities and colleges have scooter sharing programs, so a large number of Texans are familiar with electric scooters. Missouri doesn`t have clear laws for electric scooters and instead uses other laws to impose them. For example, any scooter with a top speed of less than 30 miles per hour falls into the category of bicycles – but the above falls under motorcycle laws. West Virginia doesn`t have laws regarding electric scooters, but they passed a law regulating electric bikes in 2020. It can be assumed that these regulations will extend to scooters in the near future. This new law exempted e-bikes from licensing, registration and insurance requirements. It also stipulates that e-bikes must follow the same traffic rules as bicycles and stipulates that cyclists under the age of 15 must wear a helmet.

Electric scooters are currently not regulated at the Pennsylvania state level, although Senate Bill 892 would regulate “low-speed electric scooters.” These are defined in the bill as “small electric or human-powered vehicles that weigh less than 100 pounds and drive no more than 15 miles per hour.” The bill “would allow certain communities to determine where slow scooters could be used, although they are banned on all roads with a declared speed limit of at least 35 miles per hour.” While many motor vehicles are called mopeds, Florida law may see your law differently if it doesn`t fall under these guidelines. For example, a moped with a displacement of more than 50 cm³ legally counts as a motorcycle. At the moment, people under the age of 16 are allowed to ride electric scooters. However, the majority of electric scooter rental companies require drivers to scan their driver`s license before they can unlock the vehicle. Most companies don`t rent an electric scooter from a driver without valid ID. Electric scooters can be extremely dangerous for children. You must not use your driver`s license to unlock an electric scooter for minors under the age of 16. Kentucky allows people 16 and older to use electric scooters, and you don`t need to register or have a permit. However, the state requires all electric scooters to have a red taillight and a red headlight for night driving.

Electric scooters are allowed in New York. They have a handlebar and a board or seat and can be powered by electrical and/or human energy. Tennessee passed a law in July 2019 to legalize and regulate electric scooters (Tenn. Code § 55-8-302). The law grouped electric scooters as “a device weighing less than 100 pounds, with a handlebar and an electric motor.