Road rules for scooters in 2022

One of the previous articles on pddmaster.ru discussed whether a scooter driver needs a helmet. However, this is not the only question that arises among two-wheeler owners.

Even though a driver's license is required to operate mopeds, many scooter drivers do not know the traffic rules that apply to them.

This article discusses in detail the traffic rules for scooter drivers in force in 2022:

• Scooter and moped in traffic rules.
• Using low beam headlights.
• At what age can you ride a scooter?
• Is it possible to ride a moped without a license?
• The location of the scooter on the roadway.
• Features of transporting passengers on a scooter.
• Prohibitions for scooter drivers.

Scooter and moped from the point of view of traffic rules

Please note that within the framework of traffic rules, the concept of a moped includes the concept of a scooter, i.e. Traffic rules for scooters in 2021 are similar to the rules for mopeds. Well, from the point of view of the rules, a scooter and a moped are the same thing:

“Moped” is a two- or three-wheeled mechanical vehicle, the maximum design speed of which does not exceed 50 km/h, having an internal combustion engine with a displacement not exceeding 50 cubic meters. cm, or an electric motor with a rated maximum power in continuous load mode of more than 0.25 kW and less than 4 kW. Quadricycles with similar technical characteristics are considered equal to mopeds.

Note. Mopeds include only scooters whose engine capacity does not exceed 50 cc. cm, and the maximum speed does not exceed 50 km/h. If your scooter has a larger engine capacity or can reach higher speeds, then it is a motorcycle.

First, I want to consider the traffic situation that I observed several years ago.

A six-lane road in the center of a Russian city, midday. There are quite a lot of cars driving along the street. The traffic jam is still a long way off, but there aren’t that many empty spaces between cars.

Among other vehicles, a small scooter is moving in the traffic. He attracted my attention from afar. This was due to the fact that the driver was using low beam headlights. “Wow,” I thought then. “But someone knows the rules of the road.” As the scooter approached, my surprise only grew.

The scooter was driving right in the center of the six-lane roadway, and right along the double solid marking line. At this point I smiled: “Does the driver really think that the double solid road is a path for scooters?”

Nevertheless, it still remains a mystery to me what was going through the minds of the scooter driver and his two passengers (all 12-13 years old) during such an amazing ride...

I suggest you count how many traffic rules are violated in this example. Well, after reading this article, you can do the calculation again. It is possible that the results will differ.

Let's get straight to the rules for scooter drivers.

How long does driving school last?

The full course of study is divided into theory and practice. According to the law, it takes 2.5 months to fully prepare for the exam.

• You will have to spend at least 108 hours on theoretical classes. The traffic rules are the same for everyone. Therefore, I will explain to you, as well as to future motorists, the categories of road signs and how to read each of them correctly. They will also talk about the operation of traffic lights and the rules of first aid on the roads. By the way, the “Medicine” section is often explained by a real doctor working in emergency ambulances. Usually, no more than 4 hours are allocated for such classes. In addition, together with the teacher, you decide on the tickets that will appear in the exam. As you study, they will explain to you in detail what kind of ticket it is and how it is solved. That is, from you, in an amicable way, all that is required is presence and normal memory.
• You will conduct practical training at the race track. On average, 18 hours are allotted for driving. It all depends on the driving school where you will study. The instructor will teach you how to perform the following exercises: “Overall corridor”, “Overall semicircle”, “Acceleration - braking”. In other words, you will need to start in first gear at the starting gate. Then drive in a straight line, reach the control post, signal for a left turn by extending your left hand up, and, having passed the counter, lower your hand. Similarly, you will need to make a semicircle, switch speeds from low to high and stop at the finish line by giving a signal.

Also used are the exercises “Snake” (drive like a snake, going around the marking cones), “Rut board” (drive straight along the rut board), “Move at low speed” (everything is clear here) and “Overall eight” (first drive in a straight line in the overall corridor, then along the figure eight trajectory and return to the finish). The same tasks will be completed in the exam.

Be careful. Since the instructor does not sit next to you, but watches your movement while standing on the road, he sees very well any slightest errors.

Also read: Duration and cost of training in a driving school

Using low beam headlights on a scooter

19.5. During daylight hours, all moving vehicles must have low-beam headlights or daytime running lights on to indicate them.

As practice shows, mopeds and scooters are extremely rarely equipped with special daytime running lights. Instead, the driver must use low beam headlights. The driver must turn on the headlight immediately after he has taken his place in the seat and has firmly grasped the steering wheel.

This rule is very important from a safety point of view. It allows drivers of other vehicles to notice a moving scooter or motorcycle in advance. Therefore, the safety of the driver of a two-wheeled vehicle directly depends on turning on the low beam.

Let me remind you that starting November 10, 2010, drivers of all vehicles must turn on low beam headlights.

Who can get rights

The law sets strict restrictions on candidates for obtaining a certificate. A person who meets all of the following conditions can obtain documents for a scooter:

• reaching the age of sixteen;
• Russian citizenship or residence permit;
• appropriate for health reasons;
• successfully passed the exams.

If a citizen needs a license for a 50cc scooter, he must qualify for health reasons. The law provides a list of contraindications, the presence of which will not allow you to become a driver.

Is it possible to ride a moped without a license in 2021?

Clause 2.1.1 of the traffic rules obliges the scooter driver to have a driver’s license:

2.1.1. Carry with you and, at the request of police officers, hand over to them for verification:

• a driver's license or temporary permit to drive a vehicle of the appropriate category;

Please note that the driver must have a license of category M or any other category for the scooter. In this case, the certificate should not have a special ML mark.

Scooter license

Procedure for obtaining a driver's license

You can obtain a license of category M, A or A1 by following the norms of 196-FZ, as well as the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of October 24, 2014 No. 1097. In accordance with their provisions, in order to obtain a license for a moped or scooter, the applicant must:

• meet age requirements;
• have medical indications for driving a vehicle.

The sequence of actions required to open categories M, A and A1 for driving a scooter or moped:

1. Obtain a medical report.
2. Take a training course in traffic rules and vehicle control skills at a motorcycle school.
3. Pass exams (theoretical and practical parts, they are taken by authorized traffic police officers).
4. Pay the state fee.
5. Submit documents to the traffic police department to obtain a driver's license.

Typical list of documents for obtaining a driver's license:

• statement;
• passport;
• certificate of completion of training;
• medical report according to form No. 083/U.

If you have any questions about the procedure for obtaining a category A, A1 or M driver’s license, or the list of documents that need to be collected and submitted to a motorcycle school or the traffic police, contact a lawyer on our website. You will receive comprehensive explanations that will allow you to get the desired result in the shortest possible time.=

Location of the scooter on the roadway

the traffic rules for scooters again :

24.7. Moped drivers must move along the right edge of the roadway in a single file or in the bicycle lane.

Moped drivers are allowed to move along the side of the road if this does not interfere with pedestrians.

The movement of scooters on the roadway is allowed only in one row on the right edge of the roadway.

Please note that the scooter does not have to be driven within the rightmost lane .

For example, traffic rules for a scooter allow you to go around a trolleybus or bus stopped at a stop.

The rules for driving a scooter also allow driving in a dedicated lane for cyclists and in a bicycle zone indicated by road signs:

Note. Do not confuse a dedicated lane for cyclists with a bicycle path. A moped cannot drive on a bike path.

Scooters can also be driven on the side of the road. At the same time, it is not allowed to interfere with pedestrians.

Price

To get your scooter license, you'll have to fork out some money. The cost of a moped license consists of several components:

• payment for medical examination;
• tuition fees for category M, A or A1;
• state duties.

There are no uniform tariffs for the first two expense items; they may vary in different institutions. The state duty is paid in the amount of 2 thousand rubles. or 3 thousand rubles depending on the material from which the document will be made (clause 43.1, part 1, article 333.33 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation). The total cost will range from 10 thousand to 30 thousand rubles, depending on the region and category of rights.

Features of transporting passengers on a scooter

Features of transporting passengers on a scooter are regulated by clause 22.21 of the traffic rules:

22.21. Transportation of people on a motorcycle must be carried out by a driver who has a driver’s license for the right to drive vehicles of category “A” or subcategory “A1” for 2 or more years; transportation of people on a moped must be carried out by a driver who has a driver’s license for the right to drive vehicles of any category or subcategories for 2 or more years.

Only a driver who has had a driver's license of any category for at least 2 years . Those. a novice driver does not have the right to transport passengers on a scooter.

In addition, the requirements for the transportation of passengers are established by clause 24.8 of the traffic rules:

24.8. Cyclists and moped drivers are prohibited from: ...

• transport passengers if this is not provided for by the design of the vehicle;
• transport children under 7 years of age in the absence of specially equipped places for them;

Thus, it is possible to transport passengers on a moped only if the design of the vehicle provides for additional passenger seats. Also, information about the number of passengers must be indicated in the vehicle documents.

The transportation of children under 7 years of age deserves special attention. A specially equipped place must be provided for the child.

Foreign driver's license when driving a moped (scooter)

Clause 7 of Article 25 of the Law “On Road Traffic Safety” allows the use of a Russian national license of any category to drive scooters. However, this requirement does not apply to foreign rights.

For example, if a driver has a foreign driving license of category B, he cannot drive mopeds and scooters in Russia.

Thus, foreign licenses can be used in Russia to drive a moped only if category M is open in them.

Features of passing the exam

To obtain documents for a scooter, you must pass an exam at the traffic police. Testing proceeds as follows:

• testing theoretical knowledge;
• driving skills test.

The theory test consists of testing knowledge of traffic rules and analyzing conflicting practical situations. The exam is conducted in testing mode.

Driving skills testing is carried out in 2 stages:

• autodrome;
• locality.

Initially, the candidate must demonstrate his driving skills on a race track. The driver's knowledge is tested when passing artificially created obstacles.

In the second stage, the control of the scooter is tested in testing in a populated area. The candidate's driving skills are assessed by a representative of the traffic police.

If one of the stages of the exam (theoretical or practical) is not passed properly, a second attempt is possible after a week. After two unsuccessful attempts, the next opportunity is provided to the candidate only after a month. Each retake is carried out upon presentation of a payment receipt.

Regulations for the traffic police exam in category “A”

After completing the training, cadets who have successfully mastered the program and passed internal tests are allowed to take exams at the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate.

The examination process is divided into two parts - theoretical and practical, and only those who have successfully completed the first are admitted to the second stage.

Theory

Theoretical testing of knowledge consists of answering questions on exam papers. Each examinee is given a task of 20 questions with multiple choice answers, of which 1 is correct. The topics cover the entire spectrum of the curriculum - from analysis of traffic situations to first aid techniques.

You are given 20 minutes to think about it. You are allowed to make 2 mistakes. With this result, the theoretical part of the exam is considered successfully passed, and the cadet proceeds to practice.

Practical exam

A motorcycle has a special feature compared to a car - it does not have the ability to install duplicate controls. History has recorded attempts to create a similar structure. Some samples were even made, but they remained exotic motorcycles.

In this regard, the entire examination procedure is carried out at the race track without going onto city roads.

The program includes:

• Maneuvering Exercises: Figure Eight Riding
• Snake
• In a limited corridor

If all elements are successfully completed, the exam is considered passed.

You are invited to receive your license on the same day or after some time.

Where can I register a motorcycle?

To register a bike with the traffic police, as mentioned above, 10 days are allotted after purchase, regardless of which motorcycle was purchased - used or new. Failure to meet this deadline may result in the following sanctions:

• A fine of up to 2,000 rubles for riding an unregistered motorcycle.
• A fine of 5,000 rubles or deprivation of a driver’s license for three months if the violation is repeatedly recorded by the inspector. To restore your rights, you will need to undergo a medical examination and retake a theoretical exam.
• Motorcycle confiscation. The vehicle will be sent to the impound lot until the reasons for the seizure are eliminated. To pick up a motor vehicle, you need to contact the traffic police (have the owner’s passport, purchase and sale agreement with you) and write an application for registration of the vehicle, pay the fee, receive a PTS and STS. You will also have to pay for parking services if the bike stays there for more than 24 hours. The tariff is the same throughout the Russian Federation - 500 rubles for every day.

Two-wheeled vehicles can be registered at any traffic police department, regardless of the owner’s registration address. You can find the nearest branch and check reception hours on the State Traffic Inspectorate website.

When going to the traffic police to register a motorcycle, take with you a standard set of documents:

• vehicle passport (PTS);
• certificate of registration (CTC), if available;
• sales contract, store receipt (if available), customs certificate/declaration (when transporting from another country);
• passport of the new owner;
• receipt of payment of state duty;
• completed application (the form can be downloaded on the traffic police website);
• OSAGO policy;
• documents for old numbers, if you plan to keep them.

To register a motorcycle as a legal entity, provide:

• power of attorney from a legal entity;
• copies of constituent documents;
• payment order for payment of duties;
• extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities.

Within ten days you need to have time to undergo maintenance and obtain a compulsory motor liability insurance policy. If the motorcycle is no more than four years old, there is no need to undergo a technical inspection.

In other cases, diagnostics will be required, which will cost 200 rubles. To obtain a diagnostic card, contact an accredited service (you can find it on the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate website or in the General Motor Vehicle Register).

An MTPL policy can be issued at any insurance company. Documents needed:

• owner's passport, Russian;
• inspection card;
• driver license;
• sales contract or receipts from the store.

You can come to registration at any convenient time if you sign up in advance through the State Services portal. Log in to your personal account, if you have one. If not, register on the website, upload copies of the documents listed earlier, and select a convenient day and time for the motorcycle registration. If you do not make an appointment through Gosuslugi, you will get an appointment on a first-come, first-served basis.

Also read: I purchased a car at a location other than my place of registration: is it possible to register it there?

Who is not covered by Road Sign 3.5

First of all, owners of scooters and mopeds should not be afraid of violations of this sign, provided that the engine installed on them does not exceed 50 cubic centimeters in volume. There are also restrictions on the maximum speed that such units can develop. This is 50 kilometers per hour.

There are a few other exceptions. Thus, sign 3.5 does not apply to motorcycles serving post offices. In this case, they must be marked with a special sign in the prescribed form.

Vehicles assigned to enterprises and other objects located in the restricted area established by the sign may also drive through the sign.

Finally, motorcycle travel is permitted for people who work or live in the area concerned.

However, in order to avoid disagreements with the traffic police inspector, the driver, in addition to his license, must also have documents confirming his right to the “benefits”.

For example, if we are talking about the transport of an enterprise, then this could be an invoice for goods or a waybill. When it comes to a personal motorcycle, it would be useful to have a passport with a stamp indicating registration in the zone of current restrictions.

The paradox of impatience

According to clause 1.2 of the Russian Federation Traffic Regulations, “shoulder” is the outermost part of the road, differing from the roadway in the type of surface or marked with markings 1.2.1 or 1.2.2.
It is along the side of the road that the most impatient drivers try to avoid traffic jams. Often creating a danger for those who are allowed to move along this part of the road (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.).

Trying to return to “their” lane from the side of the road, violators interfere with traffic and further increase congestion. For such maneuvers in violation of traffic rules of the Russian Federation, the “Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offenses” dated December 30, 2001 No. 195-FZ provides for punishment ranging from a fine of 1,500 rubles to deprivation of a driver’s license (VU).