Florida Scooter and Moped Regulations – Be Careful, says Florida Scooter Injury Attorney

November 11, 2019

Florida Scooter Injury Attorney: Florida Scooter and Moped Regulations – Be Careful!

Recently, we posted an article that covered personal injury cases involving motorcycle accidents and how they are handled a bit differently than car accident cases.

Mopeds, Vespas, and electric and motorized scooters are growing in popularity in South Florida, but they also have high risks for serious injuries. Scooter and Moped injury cases are handled in a similar way to motorcycle injury cases. Scooters are, of course, treated differently than motorcycles under Florida Law when it comes to rules and regulations. Before operating any device like an electric scooter, reading and understanding the rules and regulations is imperative to ensuring your safety. Every company has its own guidelines to lawfully protect its users and their liability, and every city and state has their own laws regarding the use of scooters as well.

Florida Moped Laws

In order to ride a moped legally in Florida, you must be at least 16 years old and have either a Class E or “Motorcycle Only” driver’s license.

You also must register the moped with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), obtain a license plate, and renew your registration annually. However, you don’t need to obtain a title for your moped as you would with a motorcycle.

Mopeds are street-legal and can be ridden on public roads, but you cannot drive a moped on the highway.

Florida Electric Scooter Laws

You have to be at least 16 years old to operate a motor or electric scooter in Florida. You also need a valid driver’s or motorcycle’s license, although you do not need to carry scooter insurance.

Helmets are required for riders under 16.  Motorized scooters may not carry passengers. No scooters are allowed on highways, and most cities in Florida do not allow them on sidewalks either. On the roads, they must obey all normal traffic laws and signs as well while staying as far to the right-hand side of the road as possible, except when making a lefthand turn or maneuvering to avoid hazards in the road.

If you choose to rent the Bird and Lime electric scooters you see downtown, their guidelines are posted in the app used to rent them. Be sure to read up on the rules of each scooter before you start riding. Making sure you stick with all the rules and regulations of operating a scooter or moped will not only protect your safety, but it can also make or break your injury case if you were to be injured while riding a rented scooter in Florida.

Florida Scooter Injury Attorney: Free Consultations if Injured on a Scooter in South Florida

If you were injured in an accident involving the use of a rented electric scooter, the first thing that can harm your personal injury case is if you were not operating the device in accordance with the laws. You still have rights, however, and we can advise you of your rights. If you were injured on an electric scooter or moped in South Florida, please give our office a call. We will listen to your story, advise you of your rights, and fight for your Florida injury case.

If you were involved in a Moped or Scooter accident, call our Coral Springs Law office at (954) 755-7803 or reach out to us here.

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