Bill aims to boost scooter safety
A pair of Bird Scooters left outside the Community Services Division building of Hermosa Beach last fall. A new bill from Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi would keep the devices out of cities without safety regulations. Photo Bird and Lime scooters zooming by on The Strand may represent a looming public health risk, and a newly proposed state law could help cities across the state address it. A bill from Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, who represents the South Bay in the Legislature, would prevent companies from deploying scooters, e-bikes, and other “shared mobility devices” in areas that have not adopted safety rules for their use. The bill, AB 1286, also requires companies to provide at least $5 million in liability insurance for riders and prohibits companies from including terms of use that would obligate riders to waive their rights to recovery before riding. “We’ve been hearing concerns not only about riders, but pedestrians too. There is increasing evidence of the potential dangers of some of these shared mobility devices,” Muratsuchi said in an interview. Bird and Lime did not respond to requests for comment about the legislation. Muratsuchi’s office cited a study published…
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