Section 291C-139 - Electric foot scooters(a) This section shall apply whenever an electric foot scooter is operated upon any highway, street, roadway, or other designated public area set aside for the use of electric foot scooters.(b) Every person operating an electric foot scooter upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to a driver of a vehicle under this chapter, except as to provisions of this: (1) Section to the contrary; and(2) Chapter that, by their nature, can have no application.(c) The counties by ordinance shall regulate operations of electric foot scooters with regard to, but not limited to, the following: (1) Operations in or upon roadways, bikeways, bicycle paths, and sidewalks;(2) Storage and docking locations;(3) Restrictions on maximum speed;(4) Safety considerations; and(5) Insurance requirements; provided that no authority adopted in accordance with this subsection shall be less restrictive than the requirements set forth in this section.
(d) No person under fifteen years of age shall operate an electric foot scooter on a highway, street, roadway, or any other public property in the State. No person under sixteen years of age shall operate an electric foot scooter unless the person wears a safety helmet securely fastened with a chin strap. The safety helmet shall meet the specifications of and requirements for a bicycle helmet as set out in section 291C-150.(e) No person shall operate an electric foot scooter that is carrying any other person, nor shall any person other than the operator ride upon an electric foot scooter.(f) No person operating an electric foot scooter shall carry any package, bundle, or article that prevents the use of both hands in the control and operation of the electric foot scooter.(g) Any electric foot scooter used from thirty minutes after sunset until thirty minutes before sunrise shall meet the specifications of and requirements for lamps and other equipment on bicycles as set out in section 291C-147; provided that in lieu of the requirement of section 291C-147(b), every electric foot scooter shall be equipped with a lighted lamp that is visible from the rear.(h) No person shall operate an electric foot scooter at a speed other than is reasonable and prudent and having regard to the actual and potential hazards and conditions then existing; provided that no person shall operate an electric foot scooter at a speed greater than fifteen miles per hour.(i) Any person who operates an electric foot scooter recklessly in disregard of the safety of persons or property shall be assessed penalties as set forth in section 291C-161(b).(j) A person or entity that provides electric foot scooters for hire shall not rent or lease an electric foot scooter to any person unless: (1) Each renter or lessee that is under the age of sixteen wears a safety helmet, as required by subsection (d), while operating the electric foot scooter; and(2) Each renter or lessee is provided with a copy of the electric foot scooter ordinances or rules that have been adopted by the applicable county.(k) Electric foot scooters shall only be stored or docked at specific locations that shall be authorized by the counties.Added by L 2021, c 174,§ 2, eff. 7/1/2021.