Electric scooters have become a popular form of transportation in the greater Twin Cities area, and these fun and readily available transportation options can help you sight-see or get home from a friend’s house in a more expedient manner. However, they are also popular among inebriated individuals who want to zoom around on an electric scooter after having a few too many drinks. While that can be a recipe for injury, can it also lead to a DUI? In this blog, we explore whether or not you can be criminally charged for drinking and riding an electric scooter in Minnesota.
Electric Scooter Use In The Twin Cities
Electric scooters have skyrocketed in popularity in the Twin Cities in just the last few years. In 2018, Minneapolis adopted a motorized foot scooter pilot program that saw 400 electric scooters added to public areas for rental use, and by the following year, four scooter companies offered 2,000 electric scooters throughout the city and suburbs.
There are a number of rules and regulations that need to be followed when using an electric scooter in the Minneapolis area. For example, you’re not allowed to ride on the sidewalk and you need to yield to pedestrians. St. Paul has similar but slightly different guidelines, and the rules and regulations will vary based on the area in which you rent the scooter. But can you ride one of these electric scooters when you’re under the influence, or would you be at risk for a DUI?
DUIs On Electric Scooters
Can police stop and arrest you if it turns out you’re caught piloting an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol? It seems unlikely, but it’s not perfectly clear.
Minnesota classifies a motor vehicle subject to DUI laws as any self-propelled motorized vehicle or a vehicle that is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires (like the light rail). Items like personal electric wheelchairs or vehicles that can move solely by human power, like a standard scooter or skateboard, are not subject to DUI laws. When you consider that Minnesota already ruled that a Segway is not a motorized vehicle for the purposes of DUI, it seems pretty clear that an electric scooter would not be subjected to DUI laws.
However, a recent ruling stated that someone operating an electric bicycle can get a DUI because the transportation device has the ability to be self-propelled. Additionally, other states have already ruled that electric scooters are in fact subject to their state’s DUI laws.
So while we don’t know of any cases of electric scooter DUIs in Minnesota, it’s not perfectly clear that you can avoid a DUI should you be caught operating one under the influence. Also, just because you are unlikely to get a DUI doesn’t mean that you’re immune from other citations. If you impede traffic, cause an accident or strike a pedestrian, you can be held criminally and civilly liable for your actions. When you add in the fact that injuries can easily occur if you’re riding an electric scooter while under the influence, it’s easy to see why you should avoid getting on these transportation options if you have reason to believe you’re over the legal limit.
If you need help with your DUI or criminal case, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
