Vespa and Motor Scooter Accidents

Any two-wheeled motorized vehicle that can be driven on the highway is dangerous. There are different types and different brands of scooters and mopeds, but Vespas, Italian-made motor scooters, are most common in Toronto. What makes these vehicles dangerous is the fact that they are so small and open, with very little protection to the rider or passengers in an accident, which is why an accident on one of these vehicles often ends in a fatality.

Motor scooters, or electric bikes (e-bikes), have less power than a motorcycle. Motorcycles arguably provide greater visibility, braking, and better control when going over potholes, so motor scooters in comparison are going to be even more susceptible to serious accidents and injuries following an accident.

If you have been in a Vespa accident and are looking for the appropriate compensation following your injuries, you should contact a Toronto motorcycle accident lawyer right away. A skilled Toronto Vespa and motor scooter accident lawyer can help you bring forward a strong claim for damages recovery.

Laws Applying to Motor Scooters

Ontario traffic laws apply to Vespas and other motor scooters and motor scooters require mandatory insurance in Ontario. There are different motorcycle license types in Ontario. In order to operate a Vespa or a motorcycle, a person needs to have a license. The type of license that a person gets depends on the type of motorcycle a person wants to drive. For example, an M-license includes M1 and M2, which are for full-speed motorcycles.

There is also the M-license with condition L, which includes M1-L and M2-L, and these are for mopeds and motorized scooters which are also called “limited-speed” motorcycles. Then there is the M-license with condition M, which includes M1-M and M2-M, and these are for three-wheeled motorcycles.

A person really does not need a license or a vehicle permit or a license plate to ride an electric bike. However, there are certain criteria to be met for a person to drive an e-bike. A person still needs to be 16 years old or older and to wear an approved motorcycle or bicycle helmet, and the bike needs to be in good working order. A person on an e-bike must follow the same rules of the road as regular cyclists. Even though a person with an e-bike is allowed to ride on most roads and highways where conventional bikes are permitted, a person cannot ride their e-bike on certain highways.

Restrictive Signs

Signs are not always placed where people cannot ride bicycles and e-bikes. For example, a person also cannot ride their e-bike on municipal roads like sidewalks where bicycles are also banned under municipal laws. Some bike paths and bike trails also prohibit e-bikes. A person has to research on a government website where e-bikes are permitted.

There are specific government requirements and definitions as to what constitutes a scooter or what is a limited-speed motorcycle. A person also has to find out what type of license they need to operate their different vehicles.

Common Injuries

Injuries from these types of accidents depend on the speed, the type of collision, and the gear that the driver or passengers are wearing. Toronto Vespa and motor scooter accident lawyers commonly see significant fractures, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, loss of limbs, internal injuries, lacerations, breakage of joints, scarring, and burning. They see a lot of second and third degree burns with both motor scooter accidents and motorcycle accidents. These types of injuries can also occur in a car accident, but when a person is using a vehicle that is so small and open, they are more likely to sustain significant injuries as a result of being thrown off.

Working with a Toronto Vespa and Motor Scooter Accident Lawyer

A Toronto Vespa and motor scooter accident lawyer is of ultimate importance after an accident because there are many different considerations in advancing a claim. You have to look at how the accident happened, why it happened, whether there is contributory negligence, what type of injury occurred, how the injury will affect the person’s life, and what losses this person has suffered other than the obvious injury itself. A lawyer will investigate the different avenues for recovering the compensation a person needs. Every case is unique and the defenses and considerations will be different even in accidents involving the same type of vehicle, so it is important to work with a skilled lawyer when pursuing a case.