Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey is proposing to regulate your micromobility device. Of course, she is – but what is a micromobility device, anyway?
What Counts as a Micromobility Device?
More simply put, micromobility devices include e-bikes, mopeds, and scooters. I’m not sure if the motorized wheelchair the Scooter Store tried to sell me when I turned 50 qualifies as a micromobility device. I digress.
Healey has filed the “Ride Safe Act” to, in her words, “strengthen public safety.”
What the Ride Safe Act Would Do
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation said the proposed law “builds on recommendations from a statewide commission created under Governor Healey’s Mass Leads Act and responds directly to growing safety concerns on Massachusetts roads, sidewalks, and bike lanes, positioning Massachusetts as a national leader in regulating emerging transportation technologies.”
Why Massachusetts Wants New Regulations
“We are seeing too much reckless behavior, more crashes and close calls, and too many people, especially pedestrians and young riders, at risk,” Healey said in a statement posted to the MassDOT website.
Healey’s proposal includes a “first in the nation, speed-based framework” that considers the type of micromobility device and the rider’s age, “clear, enforceable safety standards to prevent injuries and crashes, and stricter rules about where the devices can operate to prevent pedestrian injuries.
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The proposed law gives “clear enforcement authority for law enforcement, ensuring officers can apply consistent rules and penalties to unsafe behavior across device types.”…