In order to protect local governments/school districts from lawsuits, a Utah legislator wants to extend government immunity to the use of scooters — you know, those electronic two-wheelers now springing up in cities across the nation, including Salt Lake City and others locally.
Rep. Brady Brammer, R-Highland, has HB346, which places scooters in current immunity law under the “recreational” activities.
“I’m actually trying to help” the scooter industry, said Brammer, who has a scooter app on his smartphone.
Brammer is an occasional user of scooters. When he was in Nashville recently to a conference, Brammer said he used scooters “four or five times” to get around.
Putting scooters inside government immunity law means some local officials may not want to outlaw them, fearing scooter use could lead to lawsuits inside their jurisdictions against public officers.
His bill defines riding such a scooter brings an “inherent risk,” and that riding it
“any danger, condition, and potential for personal injury or property damage that is an integral and natural part of participating in a recreational activity.
He notes that scooter use in a city or on other public property is not like going skiing at a resort.
“That is private land,” and his bill deals with a “recreational” activity on public land.
His bill does not regulate where such scooters may be used or ridden. That is still up to local governments.
Scooters, pedestrians, cars and busses, result in a lot of people going to and fro, said Brammer, an attorney, and any unfortunate injuries should not be the responsibility of the local governments or schools.
