Electric Scooters 101: Rules and Safety Tips

Electric Scooter on Campus

Electric scooters are a fun and convenient way to get around campus, but riders should be mindful of the rules and recommendations to ensure the safety and security of both riders and pedestrians.

Knowing where to ride is paramount for a safe experience on a scooter. It is unlawful to operate the scooters on sidewalks, except while moving a scooter to a parking area, according to university policy. Because of this, scooters should be ridden in the street, as close to the right curb as possible, but not in the designated bike lanes.

Riders should obey all traffic signals, signs, and street markings, and yield to pedestrians at crosswalks when they are present. Riders should also keep speeds below 15 miles per hour, and adjust speed based on conditions and in busy areas.

Scooters should only be parked in designated bike racks or moped parking areas, and should be walked to those areas from the roadway. Riders should avoid leaving them on roads, sidewalks, bike paths, driveways, access ramps, stairways, landscaped areas, or near fire hydrants.

Riders must be at least 18 years of age to operate the scooters, and helmets are strongly recommended for all riders even though they are not required for individuals over 19 years old.

Never operate a scooter recklessly or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Doing so endangers others, and could result in an Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) charge.

Let’s make sure that we’re all working together to make our roads and sidewalks safe for drivers, riders, and pedestrians.
For more information on registering your personal scooter, or bike, with the university to help reduce the risk of theft, click here.