Thomas, Coon, Newton & Frost is pleased to announce our new electric scooter legal guide: Oregon E-Scooter Rights: A Legal Guide for Electric Scooter Riders. The guide was a team effort by TCNF personal injury attorneys Cynthia Newton, Ray Thomas, Jim Coon and Chris Thomas.

The guide covers several topics, including rules of the road, what to do if a crash occurs and insurance issues raised by e-scooters.

Here is a quick, ten point summary of e-scooter rules of the road, which are discussed in greater detail in our guide:

1)   An e-scooter is a “vehicle” in  the Oregon Vehicle Code and generally all traffic laws apply to it like other vehicles;

2)   E-scooters may be operated like other vehicles, but not on sidewalks.

3)   E-scooters may be ridden at speeds up to 15 mph on the public way.

4)   E-scooters must use the  bike lane if there is one and have the right of way just like a bicycle.

5)   E-scooters may travel  on any road with a speed limit of 25 mph or less.

6)   E-scooters may take the lane unless it slows down other traffic and then like bicycles must travel as far to the right (or left on a one-way street) as “practicable”.

7)   Any person 16 or older can ride an e-scooter on a public road.

8)   E-scooter riders must wear a helmet, but lack of a helmet may not be used against the rider in an injury case in court if there is a crash.

9)   E-scooter operators may not carry passengers.

10)   E-scooters may not ride on City of Portland or State of Oregon park paths or trails.

Please feel free to contact us with any question on Oregon electric scooter law.