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If you ride a newly acquired Vespa or another motor scooter, you may need clarification about what road rules to follow. Tennessee has different laws for motorcycles, motor scooters, and motorized bikes. You might need clarification because some Vespas are motorcycles, and some are motor scooters.
It is important to follow road rules and safety tips when riding your scooter because, as fun and economical as scooters are to operate, they offer no protection when a faster, bigger car or truck careens into you. If a careless driver injures you, you are not just a statistic for Vespa/motor scooter accidents in Red Bank. You deserve fair compensation for your losses—and our skilled motorcycle crash attorneys could help you get it.
Tennessee defines a scooter as a two or three-wheeled motor-driven vehicle with a cylinder capacity of no more than 125cc. More broadly, the characteristics of scooters are:
A 50cc engine will only allow the driver to go up to 30 mph. However, Vespa and other manufacturers produce a vehicle that looks like a scooter but would be classified as a motorcycle in Tennessee because it has a 250cc engine. Talk to a knowledgeable Red Bank injury attorney to discuss laws applicable to a specific scooter after an accident.
A vehicle in Tennessee that can travel more than 35 mph is a motorcycle and must follow different rules than those for scooters or mopeds. Scooter drivers must carry a Class M license that requires the scooter to be registered, licensed, and endorsed. Scooters should have valid license plates if used on roadways. Drivers will be tested for vision, knowledge, and a road skills evaluation. Drivers 15 or 16 are subject to restrictions such as how far they can travel and at what times.
Drivers must carry a minimum amount of accident insurance, including $25,000 in bodily injury per person, $50,000 in total bodily injury to cover more than one person injured in an accident, and $15,000 in property damage.
Tennessee also requires all scooter drivers to wear Department of Transportation-approved helmets. A scooter with a 50cc engine is prohibited on highways and may be restricted to other areas around Red Bank. No scooter is permitted on roads with speed limits higher than the scooter can go.
Because scooter drivers are so vulnerable, accidents can be life-shattering. If a reckless motorist slams into a scooter driver, paying for injuries will seem stressful, but compensation may be forthcoming from insurance settlements or personal injury lawsuit awards. Prevailing plaintiffs can receive economic damages for provable losses—such as medical treatment, lost wages, and the scooter’s replacement cost—and non-economic losses—such as ongoing pain, disfigurement, loss of limbs, and emotional trauma. Contact an aggressive personal injury lawyer who will fight for fair compensation after a Vespa accident in Red Bank.
Tennessee Code Ann. § 29-39-104 allows plaintiffs to request punitive damages if the defendant acted intentionally, maliciously, or with reckless abandon.
Generally, punitive damages cannot exceed the greater of twice compensatory damages or $500,000. A proactive scooter accident attorney in Red Bank could request the courts to lift the cap if a defendant is drunk or high on drugs.
We hope you enjoy your Vespa motoring around Red Bank and that a careless driver never harms you. But if you are injured, and you were following road rules, a skilled legal professional could get you adequate compensation to pay for your recovery.
Call today to discuss the particulars of your Vespa/motor scooter accident in Red Bank.