What are the Laws for Low Speed Vehicles (LSV's)?

There is a big push to cut gas use and go electric.  But cars aren't the only electric vehicles on the road.  Electric bikes (which some people call "Dud" motorcycles) and three wheel and four wheel vehicles are hitting the road.  Okay, so you bought one on Craig's list - now what are the laws and what are the rules?

Low-Speed Vehicles (aka Neighborhood Electric Vehicles)

Think of these as golf carts with a bit of an upgrade. They’re four-wheeled vehicles that can go faster than 20 mph but not more than 25 mph, and they weigh less than 3,000 pounds.

Generally, LSVs must follow most of the same rules as regular cars, and their drivers need to comply with the same traffic laws. They also have to meet federal safety standards, such as having seat belts, headlights, and turn signals to ensure basic safety on public roads. However, you usually can’t drive them on roads with speed limits over 35 mph, except at specific intersections, because their low speed could disrupt faster traffic or create hazards. For example, an LSV traveling 25 mph on a 45-mph road could cause rear-end collisions if faster vehicles don’t notice the speed difference in time. Local authorities, like cities, counties, or the California Highway Patrol, can impose additional restrictions on where LSVs can go to address local safety concerns, such as limiting them in high-traffic urban areas to prevent congestion or accidents.

It’s illegal to sell an LSV without informing the buyer of its top speed and potential risks, such as its limited ability to evade fast-moving traffic or withstand collisions with heavier vehicles. Dealers must provide a special disclosure statement about safe operation to ensure buyers understand how to use LSVs properly, reducing the risk of misuse, like attempting to drive on highways where they’re unsafe.

Put differently, an LSV versus car or truck is like a dog against Godzilla.  You might root for the dog but Godzilla is going to win.  At least if you have an LSV accident follow the law so you don't lose out on your right to file a lawsuit!

Motorized Scooters

These are typically two-wheeled electric devices with handlebars, often with a standing platform or a seat with footrests. They can also be designed to be pushed manually. This category doesn’t include motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, or mopeds.

When riding a motorized scooter on the road, you have similar rights and responsibilities as a car driver. This ensures fair road use and accountability. For example:

• Rules of the Road: You must follow general traffic laws, including those prohibiting driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs, because impaired riding can lead to accidents, like swerving into traffic or failing to stop at intersections.
• Accidents: If you’re in an accident, you must follow the same post-accident protocols as drivers, such as exchanging information or reporting to authorities, to ensure legal accountability and protect all parties involved.
• Tickets and Fines: You can receive tickets for motor vehicle offenses, like running a red light, to deter reckless behavior that endangers others.

However, motorized scooters don’t typically require car insurance, vehicle registration, or a driver’s license, as their lower speeds and simpler design pose less risk than cars. Local governments can set rules for registration, parking, or use on sidewalks, bike paths, and streets, as long as they don’t conflict with the Vehicle Code, to address local needs. For instance, a city might ban scooters on crowded sidewalks to protect pedestrians.

Here are specific rules (often with fines) and why they exist:

• Scooting Under the Influence: Riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal, with fines up to $250 and possible chemical testing. This prevents impaired riders from causing accidents, like crashing into pedestrians or vehicles due to slowed reaction times.
• Equipment Problems:
  • At night, scooters need proper lights and reflectors to ensure visibility to other drivers, reducing the risk of collisions in low-light conditions, like a car not seeing a scooter in the dark.
  • While exempt from most car equipment rules, scooters must comply with rules on illegal lights, headsets/earplugs, tires, and watching TV while riding to prevent distractions or unsafe modifications. For example, wearing earplugs could prevent a rider from hearing a car horn, increasing accident risk.
  • The scooter’s motor must turn off when braking or have a disengagement switch to prevent unintended acceleration, like during an emergency stop, ensuring rider control.
• Where You Can Ride & Speed Limits:
  • You can’t ride on roads with speed limits over 25 mph unless in a bike lane, as scooters traveling at 15 mph on faster roads could cause traffic disruptions or crashes. Local authorities may allow use on roads up to 35 mph in bike lanes to balance mobility with safety.
  • Scooters are capped at 15 mph on highways or bikeways to prevent unsafe speed mismatches with faster vehicles or cyclists, reducing collision risks.
• Other Restrictions: These rules prevent dangerous situations:
  • No riding without a working brake meeting specific standards, as faulty brakes could lead to crashes, like failing to stop at a crosswalk.
  • Riders under 18 must wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet to reduce head injury risks in falls or collisions, as younger riders may be less experienced.
  • A valid driver’s license or permit is required to ensure riders understand basic traffic rules, reducing reckless behavior.
  • No carrying passengers, as scooters aren’t designed to safely balance extra weight, which could cause loss of control.
  • You must keep at least one hand on the handlebars to maintain control and avoid accidents, like dropping a phone and swerving.
  • No riding on sidewalks (except to access nearby property) to protect pedestrians from collisions, especially in crowded areas.
  • No parking scooters on sidewalks in a way that blocks pedestrian paths, ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities or strollers.
  • No hooking onto another vehicle, as this could lead to dangerous towing situations, like losing control at high speeds.

Other Regulations:

• If moving slower than traffic, stay close to the right side of the road (or left on one-way streets, but only turn right after dismounting and walking across) to minimize disruption and avoid collisions with faster vehicles.
• Use designated bike lanes when available, leaving only when safe and signaled, to reduce conflicts with cars and ensure predictable movement.
• Motorized scooters can generally use bicycle paths, trails, or bikeways unless locally prohibited, allowing flexibility but letting local governments restrict use in high-traffic or sensitive areas, like busy urban trails, to prevent accidents.

These laws aim to balance safety, accessibility, and fairness for LSV and scooter users while protecting other road users, informed by real-world risks like collisions, pedestrian safety, and traffic flow.  Personally, these vehicles are frightening because unlike a bicycle or motorcycle, they seem less nimble and less reactive to danger (once you tell it what to do).  Be careful and if you are hurt in an LSV accident, our lawyers are always ready to help.