SF 2566

as introduced - 83rd Legislature (2003 - 2004) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to transportation; defining motorized 
  1.3             scooters and regulating their use and operation; 
  1.4             amending Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 169.01, by 
  1.5             adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in 
  1.6             Minnesota Statutes, chapter 169. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 169.01, is 
  1.9   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 4c.  [MOTORIZED SCOOTER.] "Motorized scooter" means a 
  1.11  device with two wheels and handlebars, powered by a motor, and 
  1.12  designed to be stood upon by the operator.  An electric personal 
  1.13  assistive mobility device, within the meaning of subdivision 90, 
  1.14  is not a motorized scooter. 
  1.15     Sec. 2.  [169.225] [MOTORIZED SCOOTER.] 
  1.16     Subdivision 1.  [APPLICATION OF TRAFFIC LAWS.] Every person 
  1.17  operating a motorized scooter shall have all rights and duties 
  1.18  applicable to the operator of a bicycle, except in respect to 
  1.19  those provisions relating expressly to motorized scooters and in 
  1.20  respect to those provisions of law that by their nature cannot 
  1.21  reasonably be applied to motorized scooters.  
  1.22     Subd. 2.  [SIDEWALK AND PASSENGER PROHIBITION.] No person 
  1.23  shall operate a motorized scooter upon a sidewalk, except when 
  1.24  necessary to enter or leave adjacent property.  No person shall 
  1.25  operate a motorized scooter that is carrying any person other 
  1.26  than the operator.  
  2.1      Subd. 3.  [MINIMUM AGE FOR OPERATOR.] No person under the 
  2.2   age of 15 years may operate a motorized scooter.  
  2.3      Subd. 4.  [PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR.] No person under the age of 
  2.4   18 years may operate a motorized scooter without wearing 
  2.5   properly fitted and fastened protective headgear that complies 
  2.6   with standards established by the commissioner of public safety. 
  2.7      Subd. 5.  [REQUIRED LIGHTING EQUIPMENT.] A motorized 
  2.8   scooter must be equipped with a headlight and a taillight that 
  2.9   comply with standards established by the commissioner of public 
  2.10  safety.  
  2.11     Subd. 6.  [OPERATION REQUIREMENTS AND PROHIBITIONS.] (a) A 
  2.12  person operating a motorized scooter on a roadway shall ride as 
  2.13  close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the 
  2.14  roadway, except in the following situations: 
  2.15     (1) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding 
  2.16  in the same direction; 
  2.17     (2) when preparing for a left turn, in which case the 
  2.18  operator shall stop and dismount at the right-hand curb or right 
  2.19  edge of the roadway, and shall complete the turn by crossing the 
  2.20  roadway on foot, subject to restrictions placed by law on 
  2.21  pedestrians; or 
  2.22     (3) when reasonably necessary to avoid impediments or 
  2.23  conditions that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand 
  2.24  curb or edge, including, but not limited to, fixed or moving 
  2.25  objects, vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface 
  2.26  hazards, or narrow lanes. 
  2.27     (b) A person may operate a motorized scooter on a bicycle 
  2.28  path, bicycle lane, bicycle trail, or bikeway that is not 
  2.29  reserved for the exclusive use of nonmotorized traffic, unless 
  2.30  the local authority or governing body having jurisdiction over 
  2.31  that path, lane, trail, or bikeway prohibits operation by law.