Hard Facts Surrounding the Use of a Moped on South Carolina Highways.

Fatalities have risen over the past five years all the way up until 2012. In 2012, there were 37 fatalities associated with moped use and in 2013, it actually dropped but in the first half of 2014, we’re actually on pace to double that of 2013 which would put us somewhere in the range of between 40 and 50 people who lose their lives on South Carolina roads as a result of using mopeds, which begs the question, “What is a moped?”

A moped is a vehicle that usually sells for less than $1000. It gets anywhere between 80 to 100 miles per gallon and its typical top speed at least according to South Carolina law should be no more than 25 miles per hour.

However, some people take the restrictor plate off of their mopeds and so they’re able to go faster. That technically takes them out of the moped context and into a scooter which requires a license but it’s kind of in the gray area of the law.

The significant thing about a moped is it doesn’t require you to have a driver’s license in order to get one. Obviously with any pros with regard to a moped, there’s going to be some cons and that certainly is the case with this particular mode of transportation.

It is not illegal for you to use a moped in going over the Arthur Ravenel bridge. However, you are putting yourself in danger in the sense that you are typically going to be able to go maybe 30 or 35 miles per hour if you’re lucky because of the limitation of the motor and you have cars that are sometimes exceeding 55 miles an hour who are negotiating traffic around you.

It has certainly been borne out in statistics because there are a lot of people who are getting hurt and even killed on the Arthur Ravenel bridge because they’re trying to navigate that particular avenue, all which leads me to a public service announcement which is the sorts of things that you can do to protect yourself if you choose a moped as your primary form of transportation.

South Carolina Transportation Department suggests that you use reflective clothing and that you put blinkers on either your helmet or your moped or both and more importantly even though it’s not required by South Carolina law, I would strongly encourage anyone who uses this mode of transportation to use a helmet because it can be the difference between life and death.

If you’ve been involved in a moped accident and you need help, call The Hartman Law Firm at 843-300-7600 today.