INDIANAPOLIS— Drivers of motorized scooters would be required to register and plate their bikes with the state and take a test under legislation before the General Assembly.
The idea of tightening regulations on scooters isn’t new to Indiana lawmakers. For state Rep. Milo Smith, R-Columbus, this is his fifth session to introduce legislation. Also this session, state Rep. David Wolkins, R-Winona Lake, has filed a separate bill that Suzanne Crouch helped write over the summer before being named State Auditor.
Both bills wouldn’t require drivers of scooters, defined as a cylinder capacity of 50 cc or less, to carry insurance on the bikes — a major sticking point for some lawmakers in the past.
“Most of the people riding a moped couldn’t afford to buy the insurance,” Smith said. “I don’t think there’s any support to require that in the General Assembly.”
Wolkins said the bills also would serve to collect data on how many scooters there are in Indiana because a firm number is not known.
“We’d like to know how many are out there,” Wolkins said.
The bills differ in speed limits they would place on scooters. While both would raise the speed limit from 25 mph to a maximum of 35 mph, Smith’s bill would increase the speed limit to 45 mph on state highways. Meanwhile, Wolkins’ bill would prohibit scooters from driving on interstates.
Smith said a scooter bill has a better chance of passing this session because of the growing publicity surrounding the issue.
Requiring registration with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles is a good starting point and will help the Evansville Police Department if a scooter is stolen or in tracking a scooter owner, Evansville Police Department Sgt. Jason Cullum said.
“Right now, we see them used in crimes and the suspects will dump it somewhere,” Cullum said. “When we find the scooter, we usually can’t find the owner to see who was riding it when the crime happened. We believe people will be less likely to just loan the scooter out when they know their name is registered to it.”
The bills also would require scooter operators to take a test at the BMV.
State Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, said she chose not to file scooter legislation after learning of the two House bills.
“We need to get as many of these scooters registered as possible. That would be the first step,” Becker said.
Both House bills have been referred to the Roads and Transportation Committee, but no hearings had been set as of Friday.