A 58-year-old woman suffered major injuries after being hit while riding an electric scooter in Las Vegas near Wigwam Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard, according to news reports. While electric scooters have become quite popular over the years, they also have many inherent risks. While cities and states across the nation have tried to mitigate the risks, including passing laws protecting scooter riders, accidents still happen. Below is a brief rundown of electric scooter laws in Las Vegas.
Electric Scooter Laws in Nevada
It is our hope that our discussion on Las Vegas scooter laws will help keep you and your loved ones safe while riding one in the city. State law governing electric scooters is located in Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 484B.760–484B.790. These laws state, in pertinent part, that:
- A parent or guardian of a child is prohibited from authorizing or knowingly permitting the minor to violate any provisions of this section of NRS;
- Everyone riding an electric scooter on the road benefits from all the rights as drivers, and is subject to all the same duties, as applicable;
- Certain individuals using an electric scooter–such as peace officers, firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and pedestrian mall employees– are not subject to NRS in specific situations including when responding to an emergency call, in pursuit of a suspected law violator, or when he/she determines non-compliance is needed to carry out job duties;
Other requirements of Nevada scooter law include that:
- Scooter operators must give appropriate hand signals, at least once, while using the device except need not give a hand signal if they are in a designated turning lane or safety requires that both hands remain on the scooter’s handles;
- Users cannot have more people on the electric scooter than what it is designed for;
- It is prohibited to ride an electric scooter attached to a person or another vehicle;
- All scooter riders must stay as near to the right side of the road as possible except when about to make a left turn, doing so is unsafe, or when traveling at the same speed as traffic;
- Prohibits electric scooter riders from carrying any package or article that prevents the rider from keeping at least one hand on the scooter’s handlebars;
- When being used at night, every electric scooter must have a lamp on the front emitting a white light, a red reflector in the rear, reflective material visible from both sides, and a brake system;
While the above does not list all of the electric scooter-related laws in Nevada, it should provide you with a basic understanding of your rights and responsibilities when operating an electric scooter in the state. Obeying state law should help keep you and your loved ones safe while still being able to enjoy the fun of riding an electric scooter.
Experienced Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyers
If you are injured by a driver in Nevada while you are riding an electric scooter, the first thing you must do is contact local authorities and seek emergency medical care. After this, contact the personal injury attorneys at H&P Law to help protect your rights under applicable electric scooter laws. Our experienced lawyers will help you navigate the legal complications that come with the results of an electric scooter accident.
