Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:300.1.1 – A.(1) Electric low-speed scooters may operate on sidewalks, bicycle paths, and highways, except that the department or any parish or municipal governing authority, or both, may limit
Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:300.1.1
- Bicycle: means every device upon which any person or persons, if the design accommodates passengers, may ride, propelled exclusively by human power, or an electric-assisted bicycle as defined in this Section, having a saddle or seat for each rider, and having two tandem wheels, either of which is sixteen inches or more in diameter, or three wheels, any one of which is twenty inches or more in diameter. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Department: means the Department of Transportation and Development. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Driver: means every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Highway: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way or place of whatever nature publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for the purpose of vehicular travel, including bridges, causeways, tunnels and ferries; synonymous with the word "street". See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Intersection: means : The area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curb lines, or, if none, then the lateral boundary lines of the roadways of two highways which join one another at, or approximately at, right angles, or the area within which vehicles traveling upon different highways joining at any other angle may come in conflict. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Motor vehicle: means every vehicle which is self-propelled, and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails, but excluding a motorized bicycle and an electric-assisted bicycle. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Operator: means every person, other than a chauffeur, who drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle upon a highway or who is exercising control over or steering a vehicle being towed by a motor vehicle. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- parking: means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- person: includes a body of persons, whether incorporated or not. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 1:10
- Private road or driveway: means every way or place in private ownership and used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having express or implied permission from the owner, but not by other persons. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Roadway: means that portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular traffic, exclusive of the berm or shoulder. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Sidewalk: means that portion of a highway between the curb lines, or the lateral lines of a highway, and the adjacent property lines, intended for the use of pedestrians. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- standing: means the halting of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Vehicle: means every device by which persons or things may be transported upon a public highway or bridge, except devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
- Width: means the total outside transverse dimension of a vehicle including any load or load holding devices thereon but excluding approved safety devices and tire bulge due to load. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1
A.(1) Electric low-speed scooters may operate on sidewalks, bicycle paths, and highways, except that the department or any parish or municipal governing authority, or both, may limit or prohibit the operation of such scooters on any sidewalk, bicycle path, or highway under its jurisdiction if such prohibition or regulation is in the interest of safety.
(2) A parish or municipal governing authority may reasonably regulate and assess penalties for moving or parking violations applicable to the operator of an electric low-speed scooter on any sidewalk, bicycle path, or highway under its jurisdiction.
B. For purposes of this Section, the term “electric low-speed scooter” shall mean a rental or commercial scooter weighing less than one hundred pounds that has handlebars and an electric motor, is solely powered by an electric motor or human power, and has a maximum speed of not more than twenty miles per hour on a paved level surface when powered solely by an electric motor. An electric low-speed scooter shall not be considered a motor-driven cycle, a vehicle, or a motor vehicle.
C. No electric low-speed scooter shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number of persons for whom it is designed and equipped.
D. No person operating an electric low-speed scooter shall attach himself or the scooter to any other vehicle being operated upon a highway.
E. No person operating an electric low-speed scooter on a roadway shall carry any package, bundle, or article that prevents the operator from keeping at least one hand on its handlebars.
F.(1) Every person operating an electric low-speed scooter upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or a vehicle proceeding in the same direction, except under any of the following circumstances:
(a) When overtaking and passing another electric low-speed scooter, bicycle, or vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
(b) When preparing to turn or turning left at an intersection, or into a private road or driveway.
(c) When reasonably necessary to avoid fixed or moving objects, vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, substandard width lanes, or any other condition that makes it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway. For purposes of this Paragraph, a “substandard width lane” is a lane that is too narrow for an electric low-speed scooter and another electric low-speed scooter, bicycle, or a vehicle to travel safely side-by-side within the lane.
(2) The operator of a motor vehicle, when overtaking and passing an electric low-speed scooter proceeding in the same direction on the roadway, shall exercise due care when the motor vehicle is passing the electric low-speed scooter, and shall leave a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the electric low-speed scooter of not less than three feet, and shall maintain such safe distance until safely past the overtaken electric low-speed scooter. The operator of a motor vehicle may pass an electric low-speed scooter traveling in the same direction in a no-passing zone only when it is safe to do so.
(3) Every person operating an electric low-speed scooter upon a highway of this state shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this Chapter, except as provided in this Section or as otherwise limited or prohibited by the department or any parish or municipal governing authority, and except as to those provisions of this Chapter which by their very nature can have no application.
G. An electric low-speed scooter shall be equipped with a brake which enables the operator to make its braked wheels skid on dry, level, and clean pavements.
H. An electric low-speed scooter, when in use during the times specified in La. Rev. Stat. 32:301, shall be equipped with appropriate lights, reflectors, or reflective markings.
I. Any operator of an electric low-speed scooter under the age of seventeen years shall wear an approved helmet as provided in La. Rev. Stat. 32:199.
Acts 2019, No. 258, §1, eff. July 1, 2019.