2023 Ohio Revised Code › Title 45 | Motor Vehicles-Aeronautics-Watercraft › Chapter 4511 | Traffic Laws - Operation of Motor Vehicles › Section 4511.514 | Low-Speed Micromobility Devices.

Effective:
April 15, 2021
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 295 - 133rd General Assembly
(A)(1) A low-speed micromobility device may be operated on the public streets, highways, sidewalks, and shared-use paths, and may be operated on any portions of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles in accordance with this section.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, those sections of this chapter that by their nature could apply to a low-speed micromobility device do apply to the device and the person operating it whenever it is operated upon any public street, highway, sidewalk, or shared-use path, or upon any portion of a roadway set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.
(B) No operator of a low-speed micromobility device shall do any of the following:
(1) Fail to yield the right-of-way to all pedestrians at all times;
(2) Fail to give an audible signal before overtaking and passing a pedestrian;
(3) Operate the device at night unless the device or its operator is equipped with or wearing both of the following:
(a) A lamp pointing to the front that emits a white light visible from a distance of not less than five hundred feet;
(b) A red reflector facing the rear that is visible from all distances from one hundred feet to six hundred feet when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle.
(C)(1) No person who is under sixteen years of age shall rent a low-speed micromobility device.
(2) No person shall knowingly rent a low-speed micromobility device to a person who is under sixteen years of age.
(3) No person shall knowingly rent a low-speed micromobility device on behalf of a person who is under sixteen years of age.
(D) No person shall operate a low-speed micromobility device at a speed greater than twenty miles per hour.
(E)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(2) Unless a mens rea is otherwise specified in this section, an offense established under this section is a strict liability offense and section 2901.20 of the Revised Code does not apply. The designation of that offense as a strict liability offense shall not be construed to imply that any other offense, for which there is no specified degree of culpability, is not a strict liability offense.
(F) Notwithstanding division (A)(1) of this section, a municipal corporation, county, township, metropolitan park district, township park district, recreation district, or any division of the department of natural resources if the division has the approval of the director of natural resources may do any of the following:
(1) Regulate or prohibit the operation of low-speed micromobility devices on public streets, highways, sidewalks, and shared-use paths, and portions of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles, under its jurisdiction;
(2) Include low-speed micromobility devices that are adapted to expand access for people with various physical limitations into a shared bicycle, shared electric bicycle, or similar vehicle sharing program, under its jurisdiction;
(3) Require the owner or operator of a low-speed micromobility device rental service or low-speed micromobility device sharing program to maintain commercial general liability insurance related to the operation of the devices, with limits of up to one million dollars per occurrence and two million dollars per aggregate.