*** Kirkland City Council weighs age restrictions for scooter use ***

Kirkland, Washington -- 06/17/2004
Before restricting motorized scooter use, the Kirkland City Council
wants more information about the age at which teens could be expected
to responsibly handle the devices.

The council last night was considering restricting scooter use to those
ages 13 or older. But some council members said 15 or 16 years old
might be a more appropriate minimum.

"I can't support this. It's too young," Deputy Mayor Joan McBride
said last night. "The children are too young to be out on the streets."

Kirkland is among many cities in the Puget Sound region
— including Seattle and Auburn — that are wrestling with how
to restrict scooter use in response to a rapid increase in its
popularity.
State law currently places few restrictions on motorized scooters,
allowing riders of any age access to many multi-purpose trails,
bicycle lanes and roads.

Small engines allow electric scooters to travel 15 mph, and gas-powered
scooters to zip along at up to 25 mph. Scooters generally cost $100 to
$1,000.

The Kirkland council plans to seek guidance from child-behavior
experts at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

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