Motorized scooters continue to gain popularity as actual transportation. If you were in an accident that involved a scooter, contact a Florida scooter accident lawyer today at the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato at (954) 633-8270 to help understand your rights.
Motorized Scooters
Motorized scooters include any personal, single-rider, two- or three-wheeled motorized transportation vehicles. It is important to note that scooters do not include any kind of moped. The two features that all motorized scooters have in common is that they rely on some sort of electric or internal combustion engine for propulsion, and they are usually banned from public roads.
Florida Scooter Law
Unsurprisingly, the number of scooter accidents has risen alongside the rise if use of e-scooters such as Bird and Lime. Florida lawmakers have attempted to protect citizens with new laws regarding this new transportation craze, but many people are still unaware of the regulations surrounding scooters. Some of the most important laws that regulate scooters are as follows:
- You must be at least 16 years of age to operate a scooter.
- You must have a valid driver’s license or motorcycle license.
- No scooter insurance is required.
- You must obey all state traffic laws and share the road with other drivers.
- You are never allowed to carry another passenger.
- You are not legally obligated to wear a helmet if you are over 16 years of age and do not exceed 30 miles per hour.
- You are never allowed to ride a scooter on sidewalks, bicycle paths, state highways, or interstates.
- You may never ride next to a passenger vehicle or between lanes of traffic.
- You are required to stay to the right-hand side of the road unless unable to do so.
- Any stops or turns must be signaled with arm motions or with scooter signal and brake lights.
Florida Scooter Injuries
Scooter transportation, especially in an urban environment, can prove hazardous and dangerous. Many riders are unfamiliar with the operation of their equipment and make mistakes handling them. Due to confusing definitions of these electronic modes of transportation, many Floridians are unsure where they are allowed to operate their scooters. However, even those who operate their scooters in permitted areas have unfortunately collided with motor vehicles and pedestrians. Scooters can travel up to 30 miles per hour. The impact from simple crashing a scooter itself can be severe, and accidents causing catastrophic injuries and even death are on the rise.
Scooter Safety in Florida
As with any motorized equipment, you should always practice good safety measures to ensure that you are protected and that any possible injuries are minimized. Some of the best ways to protect yourself which on a motor scooter include the following:
Wear a Helmet
Wearing a helmet is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself against dangerous injuries.
Follow the Florida Laws of the Road
If you are riding a motor scooter, make sure that local law permits you to ride. These laws vary from city to city within Florida. Understand not only where you can ride, but what rules govern how you can ride. Speed limits, right of way, and safety precautions can all ensure that you ride your scooter defensively and avoid accidents.
Scooter Accidents Are Like Motor Vehicle Accidents
If you are injured in a motor scooter accident, treat the situation exactly the same as a car accident. Contact the police, collect contact information from anyone involved in the accident or any witnesses, take pictures of the scene of the accident, get medical attention as soon as possible, and call your insurance company.
Our Florida Scooter Accident Lawyer help to Determine of Liability
Some scooter accidents are serious and need emergency medical attention. Some accidents can cause traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, internal damage to organs, and other severe injuries. There are now even cases where a scooter accident has caused death. When scooter accidents happen, liability needs to be determined to establish who will pay for medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering, and other damages.
You may be able to file a claim for your personal injuries against a motorist, another scooter rider, the e-scooter company, the e-scooter manufacturer, a business owner for premises liability, or the city itself.
The Florida scooter accident attorneys on our legal team can help you understand your rights, help you investigate your accident, and make sure that you file all paperwork within the statute of limitations deadline. We can help you determine which parties are liable for your injuries. Contact the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato at (954) 633-8270 to find out how you can receive compensation for your injuries and losses from someone else’s negligence.
Contact a Florida Scooter Accident Lawyer
The Florida scooter accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato at (954) 633-8270 can help you understand your rights after a Florida scooter accident and represent your interests. Contact our Florida personal injury attorney today for a free consultation and case evaluation.
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