Motorized scooters have become increasingly popular in California. People are buying them to hop on and travel the streets. Others are finding them waiting and available all over local sidewalks in the form of e-scooters. These scooters are provided by rideshare companies like Lime and Bird and use an app on your phone to secure a rental.
These rides offer an easy and fun way to get around, but they also come with certain safety requirements laid out by California legislators.
Motorized Scooters and Driver’s License Requirements
The California DMV defines a motorized scooter as having 2 wheels, a motor, handlebars, and a floorboard that you can stand on while riding it.
A driver’s license is required for driving a motorized scooter. Any class of driver’s license is sufficient for riding a scooter.
There are a couple of other things to keep in mind when considering riding:
- You can only drive motorized scooters on a bicycle path, trail, or bikeway, not on a sidewalk.
- You cannot exceed a speed of 15 mph.
- You do not need to register motorized scooters.
- You don’t need insurance or a license plate.
- Any riders under the age of 18 must wear a helmet.
It’s important to note that local cities and municipalities may have their own, more restrictive rules about scooters, especially rules pertaining to rideshare scooters.
What to Do After a California Scooter Accident
Unfortunately, with California’s busy traffic and inattentive drivers, scooter riders are at risk of getting hit by a careless motorist. As an injured victim, you have benefits available to you that the driver’s insurance company won’t be telling you about.
Allow a skilled California Scooter Accident Lawyer to make sure you receive the full financial support you need to heal and rebuild your life.
Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law, makes sure victims and their families know their rights after an accident. Contact Maison Law for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
