OFF THE WIRE
http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20120927/WCT01/309270020
Scooter helmet law to take effect Law that kicks in Monday allows for fines up to $500
by Brian Shane Staff Writer
A scooter is driven on Coastal Highway at the Maryland-Delaware border. A new scooter law takes effect Oct. 1 requiring titling of mopeds and motor scooters and establishing requirements for insurance coverage, helmet usage, and protective eyewear if the vehicle has no windscreen. The bill also mandates that the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund cover all eligible drivers for vehicles required to be registered with the MVA, including motorcycles and low-speed vehicles.
OCEAN CITY — Begining Monday, mo-ped and scooter drivers who live in Maryland will be obligated to wear a helmet, as well as some kind of eye protection.
They also, for $20, will have to title their scooters through the state Motor Vehicle Administration, according to a new state law. And don’t forget the $5 decal that shows it’s registered. Both are available online. For all that effort? “You might as well have a motorcycle,” said scooter owner and Ocean City resident Matt Beebe. “The insurance, the helmet — you gotta get it registered. The only thing you don’t need is a motorcycle license and license plate, pretty much,” said Beebe, 24, as he parked his scooter this Monday afternoon at the Montego Bay Shopping Center. Scooter drivers must have either a valid drivers license or a mo-ped/scooter permit. That means anyone with a suspended or revoked drivers license is breaking the law if they ride a scooter for transportation, according to Caryn Coyle, a spokeswoman for the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. It’s also going to be a misdemeanor offense if a scooter driver is caught without a helmet or eye protection/windscreen, according to the law. Offenders are subject to a maximum fine of up to $500, though Coyle said it’s going to be up to police to decide how to charge a person who’s caught violating the law. Delaware-based scooter drivers are off the hook for the title, though they will still have to wear a helmet and carry proof of insurance. The law also says that anyone who is aware that a scooter is uninsured isn’t supposed to be driving it. Coyle also said that despite any rumors to the contrary about its early enforcement, the law will take effect Oct. 1 and police will be expected to stop people who don’t have registration decals or helmets. She said the MVA is prepared to issue permits and to log violations as they come in. “We’re ready for our part,” she said. With about 3,500 motor scooters are in operation in Maryland, the changes will bring a negligible amount of revenue to the state, according to the state Department of Legislative Services. Between fees for decals, titles, liens, sales tax and excise tax revenue, the state will realize about $194,000 in net revenue. A policy analysis also shows that mandatory helmet use for scooter drivers may help generate “significant savings” for the state’s department of Health and Mental Hygiene. People who suffer from traumatic brain injuries often end up in state psychiatric institutions or community-based hospitals, costing Medicaid about $120,000 annually in treatment services. That analysis did not estimate the number of preventable injuries. There’s one more part to the law that Beebe said he’s not pleased with: Scooters are only permitted by law to travel 30 mph. Ocean City’s speed limit is 40 mph. “It doesn’t make any sense to me, “Beebe said, shaking his head. “You do all this, you should at least be able to travel the speed limit.”
