COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Gov. Nikki Haley has vetoed a moped safety bill because it requires reflective vests for nighttime driving and helmets for drivers under 21.
Haley says the mandates on adults represent government overreach.
Sen. Greg Hembree of North Myrtle Beach says mopeds are the most dangerous vehicles on the highway. The former prosecutor has been pushing for safety regulations for four years.
The bill would close a loophole that prevents intoxicated moped drivers from being charged with drunken driving.
People who lose their license due to a DUI conviction could still drive a moped, but they must get a special moped license the bill creates.
The Department of Public Safety says 50 people died in moped crashes last year, up from 32 in 2014. At least 16 have died this year.