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How Does Florida Regulate Motor Scooters and Mopeds?

Many motorists often are extremely frustrated when caught behind a moped or a motor scooter given that these vehicles often travel much slower than cars or other types of motor vehicles that are more commonly on the roads in Florida. Motor scooters and mopeds are particularly common during this time of year, with college back in session, particularly in areas of Florida where universities or colleges are located. Many people are frustrated by how much slower than other traffic these vehicles go, particularly on roads where the speed limit is higher than the speeds that some of these vehicles can even travel at. Invariably, you will end up being caught behind one when late to drop your kid off at school or when you have an important work meeting in five minutes on a road where the speed limit is 45 mph and there is only one lane, but the motor scooter in front of you will not go more than 30 mph. 

These vehicles also can often be extremely disruptive to traffic, not only because they often travel slower than other vehicles on the road, causing long lines of cars to form behind them (particularly during morning or evening rush hour), but also because their operators may not always follow the law. When it comes to things like making turns or changing lanes, their operators often either simply do not believe the rules apply to them or simply do not care, despite the fact that all normal traffic rules and laws apply when someone is driving a moped or motor scooter in Florida.

The way Florida regulates these vehicles is also completely different from other types of vehicles permitted on the roads in Florida. Neither moped nor motor scooter drivers are required to carry insurance under Florida law, which can be a big problem for the victims of an accident caused by a motor scooter or moped driver in Florida. Nevertheless, even if the negligent moped or motor scooter rider at fault is not carrying insurance, there are still plenty of ways than an experienced personal injury attorney like the attorneys at Schwed, Adams & McGinley can help you to recover maximum compensation in an accident caused by a moped or motor scooter driver. 

What Is The Difference Between a Moped and a Motor Scooter?

The law breaks down what the requirements are as to a particular vehicle primarily by how powerful its engine is. Both mopeds and motor scooters have seats on which their riders can sit down when riding them, which is different from the Lime or Bird motorized scooters that many people have gotten used to seeing on the roads, which do not have a seat and on which the rider stands up. Anything that has an engine of less than 50 cc is considered to be a motor scooter, whereas mopeds have pedals that allow the rider to propel the vehicle forward, but also typically have engines. Nevertheless, mopeds cannot go faster than 30 mph to still be considered a moped under Florida law.

Florida Law Relating to Motor Scooters and Mopeds

How Florida regulates motor scooters and mopeds is very similar. Florida has no specific laws which are unique to motor scooters, so motor scooters are governed the same way under Florida law as motorcycles are. Drivers are not required to wear a helmet if they are over the age of 16 years old. However, anyone who is driving a motor scooter is required to have a valid driver’s license. You are not required to carry insurance in order to drive a motor scooter in Florida. You also are similarly not required to wear a helmet while operating a moped in Florida, and moped drivers also are not required to carry any insurance whatsoever. In both cases, a moped or motor scooter driver still is required to adhere to all provisions of Florida law applicable to other vehicles on the road, such as signaling before making a turn, stopping at designated crosswalks, etc. 

Contact Schwed Adams & McGinley

At Schwed, Adams & McGinley, P.A., our experienced personal injury attorneys have more than 150 years of combined legal practice representing victims of motor vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents, slip and fall incidents and other personal injury scenarios in Florida. We have been involved in representing those who were involved in an accident involving a motor scooter or a moped, both in accidents suffered by those who were injured by another driver’s negligence while riding on a motor scooter or moped as well as accidents in which our client was driving a car and an accident occurred and the moped/motor scooter driver was at fault. Therefore, if you, a family member, or a loved one have been injured in a motor vehicle accident involving a moped or motor scooter, slip and fall incident or any other situation caused by someone else’s negligence in Florida, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Schwed, Adams & McGinley, P.A today at 877-694-6079 or contact@schwedlawfirm.com for a free consultation.