Scooter and Moped Accident Lawyers

Moped accident refers to an accident arising out of the use a moped vehicle and colliding with another vehicle.

Scooters, mopeds and electric bicycles have become increasingly popular as gas prices have risen in the last few years. They are particularly useful in urban settings, like the Triangle’s downtowns of Raleigh, Cary, Durham and Chapel Hill, and at tourist destinations like Asheville and the beach. But their small size, which allows for high gas mileage, also makes their drivers vulnerable in collisions.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s “Traffic Crash Facts” for 2009, the latest available, says there were 455 reported crashes in the state involving at least one motor vehicle and a moped. In these moped accidents, seven riders were killed and 45 were seriously injured. Unfortunately, recent scooter accidents numbers in 2018 – 2019 are not any better.

If you have been injured in a scooter or moped accident in North Carolina and another driver was at fault, you could be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, lost wages, future expenses and more. The North Carolina scooter and moped accident lawyers of Hardison & Cochran understand that a collision with a motor vehicle can be devastating to a scooter or moped rider. We know injured riders need to be free of the stress of mounting financial problems as they recover. We’re ready to fight to see that you are properly compensated.

If another driver’s negligence or recklessness caused your scooter or moped accident injuries, contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at Hardison & Cochran toll free at 800-434-8399 today or through our online contact form. You’ll hear from us within 24 hours, and, as always, your initial consultation will be free.

Scooters and Mopeds in North Carolina

North Carolina’s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) calls mopeds and scooters (sometimes also called “electric bicycles”) the “tame cousins of motorcycles.” To qualify as a moped or a scooter in North Carolina, a two-wheeled vehicle cannot exceed 30 mph on a level surface and it cannot possess an engine larger than 50 cubic centimeters.

Legally, scooter and moped riders in North Carolina must be at least 16 years old and must wear a helmet. But, no driver’s license is required to drive a moped or scooter on public roads in North Carolina.

Besides their economic advantages – a 50cc scooter or moped can cost less than $2,000 and get up to 150 miles per gallon of gas – mopeds and scooters are popular as recreational vehicles. In recent years, stores that concentrate on scooter and moped sales have prospered in urban areas of North Carolina, like Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro and Asheville. At North Carolina beaches, moped and scooter sales and rentals flourish.

Unfortunately, the small size and slow speed of these motorcycle cousins make their riders even more vulnerable than motorcycle riders in the event of an accident. Moped and scooter accidents are commonly caused by other drivers.

In addition to such motor vehicle accident causes as speeding, drunk and drugged driving, distracted driving, etc., frequent contributing factors in scooter and moped crashes include:

• Reduced visibility – Mopeds and scooters are often hit by motorists who do not see them and make left-hand turns in front them, or pull out of side streets, driveways or parking lots right into their path. Drivers who don’t thoroughly check blind spots also fail to see scooters and mopeds.
• Mopeds and scooters stop faster than other motor vehicles – Quicker stops by mopeds and scooters increase the likelihood of a rear-end collision, particularly if a car, truck or tractor-trailer driver is following too closely.
• Drivers misjudge the speed of a moped or scooter – Drivers unable to correctly judge the speed of an oncoming two-wheeler may pull out in front of a moped or scooter or change lanes into its path.

Additionally, scooters and moped are more vulnerable to accidents caused by roadway defects, such as potholes, uneven lanes, pooled water and loose gravel. In some cases, the state or local government responsible for maintaining the road may be held liable for injuries and losses in such a crash.

Like any motor vehicle, a moped or scooter may have a product defect, perhaps in its design or manufacturing process, which contributes to a wreck.

If an accident on a moped or a scooter has resulted in your being injured or caused the death of a family member, an experienced North Carolina scooter and moped accident attorney from Hardison & Cochran can help you. You may be able to recover compensation to help with medical bills, property damage to your bike, loss of income as you recover and your pain and suffering.

Contact Our North Carolina Scooter & Moped Accident Lawyers Today

If you’ve been in an accident while riding a scooter or moped that was caused by the negligence or recklessness of another driver, call the experienced North Carolina scooter and moped accident lawyers at Hardison & Cochran toll free at 800-434-8399 today, or fill out our online contact form. We represent victims of moped and scooter accidents in Raleigh, Cary, Wake County, Research Triangle Park, Durham and elsewhere in the Triangle, as well as in Fayetteville, Dunn, Southern Pines, Wilmington, Person County, Greensboro, Greenville and the Triad, and throughout the state of North Carolina.