Moped accidents are on the rise

Lynn Doan

Wednesday, June 30, 2004 | 9:18 a.m.

Nevada lawmakers ought to look at revamping laws pertaining to mopeds and motorized scooters in light of the significant increase in accidents this year, law enforcement officials said Tuesday following the death of a 56-year-old moped driver.

State law does not require registration or insurance for motorized vehicles with engines smaller than 50 cubic centimeters. And motorists using those types of vehicles don't have to wear helmets. Motorcyclists, however, are required to wear helmets.

The rub is that when modified or cruising downhill, mopeds and motorized scooters can reach speeds comparable to those of small motorcycles, Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Loy Hixson said.

So far this year, there have been at least 10 potentially fatal accidents involving mopeds, which are actually a general category of two-wheeled vehicles that includes motorized scooters, Metro Police Sgt. Rob Lundquist said.

Though immediate numbers from previous years were not readily available, Lundquist said this year's total represents a fairly significant increase.

"It's been a very long time since (the helmet laws) have been revised and obviously driving trends since then are significantly different, with these vehicles more readily available," Lundquist said.

Tuesday a moped driver died after hitting a tractor-trailer while changing lanes on Nellis Boulevard. Metro Detective Dennis Magill said the driver, who was tossed off his moped during the collision, was wearing a helmet, but it would not have made a difference in this situation.

"He was wearing a full-faced motorcycle type helmet, but it didn't matter," Magill said. "There would have been just as much damage."

Still, Magill said that he has seen numerous head injuries from moped accidents that could have been easily prevented by wearing a helmet.

In June a 68-year-old Las Vegas man was struck by a car while riding his motorized scooter on Bonanza Road. Another 80-year-old man died when he lost control of his three-wheel motorized scooter and was run over by a car on Rampart Drive.

"We are only halfway through the year, but we don't usually have as many call-outs for this type of accident," Lundquist said. "This is a definite increase since last year, and it makes sense with the increase of motorized scooters and skateboards."

Because the Department of Motor Vehicles does not require registration or insurance from moped owners, Lundquist said it is nearly impossible to keep track of how many of the vehicles are on the road. In fact, the only state requirement for moped drivers is a Class C driver's license, which allows a 16-years-old or older to drive a car but not a motorcycle. As well, the moped must have the same attached safety equipment as a motorcycle.

"I don't like it. I don't like it at all," said Lundquist, who said he has seen 12-year-old children cruising around on mopeds.

Magill said the rising price of gasoline and warmer weather are the underlying reasons behind increased moped activity. Coupled with overcrowded streets and high speed limits, Magill said the number of moped accidents was bound to increase.

Plus, Hixson said, more parents are purchasing mopeds for their children, while failing to realize that a license is required to operate a moped.

"Parents see more of these on the roadway, and they're now more apt to buy them because they're smaller and they don't think they require a license," Hixson said. "They can get (motorized scooters) in toy stores, so they're seeing them as just toys."

In May, the Las Vegas City Council passed an ordinance that requires businesses that sell motorized scooters and skateboards to inform their customers that state law requires an operator license.