COLUMBIA, SC (WBTW) – The South Carolina House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that would put new restrictions on moped riders. They would be required to register their mopeds, carry liability insurance, wear reflective vests while riding, and they could not ride if they’ve lost their driver’s licenses because of DUIs.
Bill sponsor Rep. Bill Crosby, R-North Charleston, says the bill is about protecting moped riders and the drivers of other vehicles. “If you get caught with a DUI, they put you in jail, the next morning you come back out and get on your moped and go where you wanna go. They have the privileges that other people don’t have. You can’t do that as a motor vehicle driver or a motorcycle driver,” he says.
He says the liability insurance requirement is because there have been accidents in which moped drivers hit and damage cars, but, since the moped drivers have no insurance, the car owners have to pay or use their own insurance to fix their cars. He says the registration requirement is to keep track of mopeds in case of loss or theft.
The bill now goes to the South Carolina Senate.