Helmet Laws and Moped Safety on College Campuses

Across the country, a growing number of college students are turning to motorized scooters, or mopeds, to get to class on time. For most of these students, helmets aren’t even a consideration, despite a number of incidents testifying to their importance.

In a recent car accident on the University of Maryland campus, a football player had both of his legs broken and narrowly escaped further injuries when a car pulled out in front of him as he was driving his scooter home. The backpack he was wearing ended up protecting his head after he was thrown from the bike.

In New York, state law does not require individuals over the age of 14 to wear a helmet while operating a motorized scooter. This is the case in many states, including Maryland, though state legislators are considering a change.

For moped riders, it’s important to at least consider using a helmet. Especially in states like New York where helmet use is not regulated, the responsibility lies completely on the moped or scooter owner to ride safely.

Source Article

• Maryland football player Pete DeSouza’s scooter accident raises safety concerns on college campuses (The Washington Post)