Motorized Bicycle and Scooter Safety

If you’ve been out and about on Marco, you’ve probably seen the super speedy bikes that zip over sidewalks and bike lanes, sometimes speeding past other vehicles or people. These motorized bicycles can travel at speeds of anywhere ranging from 15 mph to 35 mph and sometimes pose a danger to pedestrians due to their quiet motors or rapid speed.

To help limit the speeds and dangers of these bikes, laws in Florida set regulations on motorized bicycles. According to Florida law, a motorized bicycle has two tandem wheels, is propelled by both human power and an electric motor, has a maximum speed of 20 mph on level ground, and has a seat that reaches at least 26 inches from the ground when fully extended. A driver’s license isn’t necessary to ride a motorized bike in Florida, but there is an age requirement of at least 16 years of age.

With motorized bicycles having the ability to reach such high speeds somewhat quietly, it is necessary to take extra precautions around cars, pedestrians, and other vehicles to ensure both their safety and the cyclist’s safety. A person propelling a bicycle on a sidewalk, or across a roadway or crosswalk, shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and give an audible signal before passing, which can be as easy as saying something like “on your left!” or “behind you!”

Without clear communication between bikers and pedestrians or taking the proper precautions there is a higher likelihood of someone getting into an accident or being injured. Following all of the Florida Bicycle Laws and taking the necessary precautions will help prevent any incidents.

While most of the Florida laws enforcing bicycle safety and motorized bicycle safety are common knowledge, these laws are in place to ensure the safety of riders, surrounding pedestrians, and drivers. 

Florida law also discusses two categories of scooters, motorized scooters and motor scooters. The main difference is that motor scooters have seats or saddles, while motorized scooters do not. A motorized scooter is a vehicle that has three or fewer wheels, cannot exceed 30 mph on level ground, and does not have a seat or saddle. If it does have a seat or saddle, the vehicle is considered a motor scooter.

Motorized scooters do not have to be registered, and you don’t need to wear a helmet if you’re at least 16 years old. However, you still need to be licensed to ride a motorized scooter in Florida, though any driver’s license is accepted. They cannot be operated either on the road or on sidewalks. However, the state does allow individual counties and cities to set their own rules permitting motorized scooters on sidewalks, so long as the usage is in line with federal law and the speed limit is 15 mph.

Safety precautions such as wearing a helmet, wearing appropriate clothing, and using reflectors at night, are regulations that are in place to protect people. Any person on a bicycle under the age of 16 is required to wear a helmet by law that is properly fastened and meets the federal safety standard for helmets. This rule becomes especially important to motorized bikers that have the ability to travel at higher speeds than others. 

Specific to non-daylight hours, another crucial safety regulation is ensuring that you are visible to other vehicles, pedestrians, and drivers in the dark. In the hours between sunset and sunrise, a bicycle must be equipped with a front white light visible from 500 feet away and a rear red reflector and lamp visible from 600 feet away. Increasing visibility can be as simple as wearing light or neon clothing while biking in low lighting so that others can see you.

Florida Bicycle laws also require all bicycles on the road, in bike lanes beside the road, or crosswalks between streets, to obey the same traffic laws as other drivers. This means if there is a red light, cyclists must come to a complete stop and stay at a complete stop until the light turns green. The Highway Code also sets guidance concerning cyclists' position when riding on the road, which is one of the most misunderstood rules. Riders can cycle in the center of the road only on quiet roads, in slow-moving traffic, and narrow roads.

It is common for motorized bicycles to violate these laws because they assume that road laws do not pertain to them, or that the same laws that apply to them are those of pedestrians. Knowing the extent of the Florida Bicycle Laws and following them is an essential part of sharing both the road and sidewalk, and being cautious of moving vehicles is crucial to being a safe biker and a respectful citizen.