Florida Tourist Spots Toughen Safety Rules for Rental Scooters

Some tourist cities in Florida and elsewhere are concerned about the safety of rented motor scooters.

Panama City Beach recently enacted new regulations requiring rental companies to carry insurance, provide renters with neon safety vests and pamphlets with safety information. Panama City Beach has seen an 80 percent in rental-scooter related accidents so far this year over 2014.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is having a similar problem. That busy tourist town has seen a 113 percent increase in rental-scooter related accidents so far this year.

The Florida cities of Key West and Amelia Island have also had issues with rental scooters.