A DUI on an Electric Scooter?

“Scooting” under the influence could be a recurrence with the recent surge of electric scooters as a transportation option in major cities.

In Los Angeles, the first conviction for operating a motorized scooter while under the influence was in 2018. A man was riding an electric scooter down the sidewalk and knocked a pedestrian to the ground. When police found him later, the man’s blood alcohol concentration level was .279,  more than three times the legal limit of .08. He was sentenced to three years’ probation and a $550 fine. His probation terms included paying restitution to the victim, completing a three-month DUI program and staying off scooters if there is any alcohol in his system.

Los Angeles Cracking Down on Driving and Scooting

Los Angeles is keeping people safe by firmly establishing their drunk driving laws, even if the driving is on something like a bike or an electric scooter. The motorized scooter-riding services that have popped up in urban areas recently, more than 100 cities so far, require a rental fee and a certain cost per minute to ride. Before people can ride the scooters, depending on the company supplying them, they are required to confirm that they will not ride while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medications. The Bird and Lime scooters in Los Angeles and Santa Monica do display these confirmation messages before customers can ride.

Remember that a vehicle may not be the only ride you can be arrested for a DUI in. It is not safe to operate anything while you are intoxicated.

No matter what situation you are in with a DUI, sometimes an Ignition Interlock is a case requirement. If you do need to install an Ignition Interlock in your vehicle, Smart Start is your partner from installation to removal. We provide the best Ignition Interlock with excellent service and many service locations. Schedule your Ignition Interlock installation appointment now by calling (800) 831-3299 or by filling out our online form.