Indiana Man Seeks Tougher Rules for Mo-Ped Drivers

An Indiana man whose son was seriously hurt in a mo-ped accident is urging state lawmakers to crack down on use of the vehicles.

Arthur Jewell said his son had lost his driver’s license for driving while intoxicated but was still allowed to drive a mo-ped. Robert Jewell, 48, crashed into a minivan on May 27, suffering a severe head injury.

“Robert lost his license for drinking and driving, so he couldn’t drive a car, but they still let him drive a mo-ped. That doesn’t seem right to me,” the elder Jewell said. “He didn’t need to get an operator’s license for it, he didn’t have to get insurance and he didn’t even have to wear a helmet. Even making helmets the law would have helped, but the laws are too lenient and people abuse them.”

Indiana law defines a mo-ped as a two- or three-wheeled vehicle propelled by an internal combustion engine or a battery powered motor. Those powered by motors must have engines with less than two horsepower, have a cylinder capacity less than 50 cc, an automatic transmission and a maximum speed less than 25 mph on a flat surface.

“The way we understand it is that it is considered a motorized bicycle, not a motor vehicle. That’s why no mo-ped-specific license is required,” said Lafayette Police Officer William Carpenter. “The only thing required is a valid state ID or a driver’s license.”

Mo-ped rider Charlie Hardwick of Lafayette disagreed with the characterization of mo-peds as electric bicycles.

“Any time you’re dealing with something with an engine, there has to be a different set of rules,” he said.

He noted that mo-ped drivers must be at least 15 years old.

“If they were just like bikes, little kids would drive them.”

Arthur Jewell said he is contacting lawmakers and trying to start the ball rolling for stricter mo-ped legislation.

Information from: Journal and Courier, http://www.jconline.com

Topics Legislation Personal Auto