UC Berkeley prioritizes the safety of the campus community.
UC Berkeley Parking & Transportation would like to highlight the importance of campus road safety and provide an overview of state laws regarding electric scooters.
- California Vehicle Code (CVC) 407.5(a) defines a motorized scooter as any two-wheeled device that has handlebars, has a floorboard that is designed to be stood upon when riding, and is powered by an electric motor.
- CVC 21235 mandates that all scooter riders in California:
- Have a valid driver license
- Ride on the road and remain off sidewalks
- May not park scooters on a sidewalk in a position that blocks pedestrian paths
- Not ride in tandem with any other passengers
- And a scooter operator May Not:
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Operate a motorized scooter unless it is equipped with a brake that will enable the operator to make a braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement.
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Operate a motorized scooter on a highway with a speed limit in excess of 25 miles per hour unless the motorized scooter is operated within a Class II or Class IV bikeway, except that a local authority may, by ordinance or resolution, authorize the operation of a motorized scooter outside of a Class II or Class IV bikeway on a highway with a speed limit of up to 35 miles per hour. The 15 mile per hour maximum speed limit for the operation of a motorized scooter specified in Section 22411 applies to the operation of a motorized scooter on all highways, including bikeways, regardless of a higher speed limit applicable to the highway.
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Operate a motorized scooter without wearing a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that meets the standards described in Section 21212, if the operator is under 18 years of age.
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Operate a motorized scooter without a valid driver’s license or instruction permit.
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Operate a motorized scooter with any passengers in addition to the operator.
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Operate a motorized scooter carrying any package, bundle, or article that prevents the operator from keeping at least one hand upon the handlebars.
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Operate a motorized scooter upon a sidewalk, except as may be necessary to enter or leave adjacent property.
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Operate a motorized scooter on the highway with the handlebars raised so that the operator must elevate his or her hands above the level of his or her shoulders in order to grasp the normal steering grip area.
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Leave a motorized scooter lying on its side on any sidewalk, or park a motorized scooter on a sidewalk in any other position, so that there is not an adequate path for pedestrian traffic.
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Attach the motorized scooter or himself or herself while on the roadway, by any means, to any other vehicle on the roadway.
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- CVC 21221 states that motorized scooters must follow the same traffic rules as motor vehicles, and a moving violation could result in points on your driver license affecting your driving privileges.