Laws Balance Public Safety and Micromobility Needs.

AuthorShinkle, Douglas

Electric scooters have gone from rarity to reality in just two years in many cities across the U.S. The number of rides jumped from near zero in 2017 to around 38.5 million in 2018, according to a recent report from the National Association of City Transportation Officials.

The report found that a typical e-scooter ride is less than a mile in length. Considering that an estimated "48% of all car trips in the most congested U.S. metro areas are less than 3 miles," according to the traffic data company INRIX, it's clear there is real potential for scooters to improve mobility and decrease congestion.

As of January, 21 states have enacted laws defining e-scooters and distinguishing them from mopeds and other vehicles requiring registration and insurance. Most states set their e-scooter speed limit at 20 mph, though five states cap it at 15 mph. Seven states require riders to be at least 16 years old, while Utah set its limit at age 8. Twelve states have no operator age limit.

Oregon, where the e-scooter speed limit is 24 mph (the country's highest), is the only state to require all riders to wear helmets. Four states require only minors to wear them.

Despite growing enthusiasm for micro-mobility devices, e-scooters have had a sometimes bumpy ride. In New York, for example, Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) vetoed a bill out of concern that its safety requirements didn't go far enough.

Conflicts between scooter-share providers and local governments have limited their use in...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT