Motor scooters are an increasingly popular form of transportation, due in part to their ease of use, but the same things that make them fun can also make them more dangerous. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney could ensure you understand the various laws and requirements for driving a Vespa.
A knowledgeable North Charleston motor scooter accident lawyer could help you recover compensation from the negligent party or their insurance.
Laws for Scooters in North Charleston
Traffic laws in North Charleston, and the rest of South Carolina, are different for scooters. They are not allowed on major highways. People can drive them around town, but not where speed limits are 55 miles per hour or above.
Scooters are required to have a specific license tag, but if the engine is below a certain size, they cannot have a motorcycle license tag. A well-versed attorney could use the fact that the injured party was following the law at the time of the Vespa collision as part of the argument for recovering compensation.
Common Injuries After Vespa Accidents
Due to their small size, the injuries from Vespa crashes can be catastrophic. In fact, they often mirror injuries that occur with motorcycle accidents, such as:
- Road rash
- Broken bones, especially clavicles
- Abrasions
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injury
- Paralysis
- Traumatic brain injury
Though injuries from motor scooter crashes can be severe, working with a compassionate North Charleston lawyer could help those who are afflicted recover compensation.
What Makes Scooters Dangerous?
One thing that makes motor scooters dangerous is that most of them do not require a driver’s license to ride. This opens up several issues that an attorney in North Charleston who is well-versed in moped collisions could explain.
No Knowledge Test
The most obvious reason that it can be a problem to not require a license is because people are allowed to drive without proving their ability or knowledge of the rules of the road, making a crash more likely.
Moving Violations
If people have too many speeding or reckless driving tickets, they may lose their ability to drive a car. When this happens, they will turn to a moped.
Substance Abuse Problems
Since there are few requirements to riding motorized scooters, people do not think about the consequences of riding them while impaired by drugs or alcohol. However, the drivers can cause collisions as easily on a moped as in another vehicle, which can have severe consequences.
Lack of Respect for the Vehicle
Due to mopeds not going as fast as motorcycles or cars, people will treat them less seriously than those vehicles. They do not adhere to traffic laws as closely, and might cut in between cars in traffic or ride on the side of the road. Any of these situations could endanger the driver of the scooter and those around them.
Get in Touch with a North Charleston Motor Scooter Accident Attorney Today
Riding a moped can be a great time but it can also be quite dangerous. Between the lack of oversight in getting started and easily slipping into other vehicles’ blind spots, accidents are not uncommon, and they can often cause catastrophic injuries.
A North Charleston motor scooter accident lawyer could help you recover compensation if you are injured while riding a Vespa. Reach out today.
