Stay Safe Riding Your Scooter or Vespa With These Safety Tips
If you are considering a Scooter or a Vespa as your primary means of transportation to save money, there are some things you need to know. Mopeds and Scooters are not the same, Scooters and Vespas have different motor vehicle regulations and safety issues than their larger cousin the Moped. Scooters are inexpensive and they can save you a lot of money on gas and insurance. Scooters are easy to maintain and they depreciate slowly. However, because of their relatively smaller size, scooters are hard to see by drivers of motor vehicles especially in traffic and the most frequent injuries are fractures to arms and legs. The following tips will help you have safe “scootering”:
Wear bright or reflective clothing to maximize your visibility at night.
Wear a DOT, ANSI, OR Snell-approved helmet which are designed with hard outer shells and a retention system to protect the head and the brain in a variety of impacts. In 2006, 41% of those killed in crashes were not wearing a helmet.
If your helmet is not equipped with a face shield, wear goggles or glasses with plastic lenses to protect your eyes against insects, wind, dirt, rocks, or other airborne matter.
Wear elbow and knee pads.
Wear slip-resistant shoes and avoid wearing sandals, flip-flops or shoes with laces.
Ride with the flow of traffic.
Obey the speed limits and never travel faster than your skill level or than the conditions allow.
Know how to use hand signals and signal well before you make a turn or lane change.
Use extra caution at intersections, parking lot entrances and exits, and driveways.
Avoid hitting road hazards, such as sharp bumps and holes in the road surface. These hazards can cause loss of control or damage.
Be especially conscious of traffic from behind.
Do not operate your scooter at night. The scooter is not equipped to be operated in the dark or low light conditions. It may not be easily visible to cars, pedestrians or other scooters.
If you ride at night, make sure you have a safety headlight for your scooter.
Ride only on smooth hard surfaces. Motor scooters are not designed to be used in off road conditions. Use caution when rolling over obstacles.
Avoid gravel or uneven roads.
Do not allow the motorized scooter to be used in the rain, nor to be driven through puddles of water. The motor, batteries and controls can be damaged if exposed to water.
The scooter should be used by only one person at a time. Do not carry additional persons or items while riding. Do not put additional loads on the motor scooter by pulling or towing anything.
Scooters must have a seat for highway use.
Park so you do not block sidewalks, handicap and building accesses, or emergency drives
Check all joints, hinges and quick releases to ensure the scooter is properly assembled. Stop using the scooter immediately if any joint, hinge, or quick release becomes loose.
Maintain proper air pressure in the tires. Low air pressure induces extra rolling friction, reduces ground clearance, and wears the tires quicker.
If the brake lever touches the handlebar grip, stop using the scooter until the lever is adjusted.
This checklist is not completely exhaustive. You should check for state specific rules with your local DMV.
This article was provided by Virginia personal injury law firm Allen, Allen, Allen and Allen. The attorneys at Allen and Allen are experienced in handling scooter accidents and personal injury cases.
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