N.Y. Vehicle & Traffic Law Section 1271
Traffic laws apply to persons operating electric personal assistive mobility devices

  • local laws

1.

Except in cities with a population of one million or more and except as provided by local law, ordinance, order, rule or regulation enacted or promulgated pursuant to subdivision two of this section, an electric personal assistive mobility device may only be operated on highways with a posted speed limit of thirty miles per hour or less, including non-interstate public highways, private roads open to motor vehicle traffic, and designated bicycle or in-line skate lanes. Every person operating an electric personal assistive mobility device upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this title, except as to special regulations in this article and except as to those provisions of this title which by their nature can have no application; provided, however, that when the operator of an electric personal assistive mobility device is making a left turn at or crossing an intersection, such operator shall use the designated crosswalk for such purpose.

2.

(a) The governing body of any county not wholly included within a city, city with a population of less than one million, town or village may, by local law, ordinance, order, rule or regulation, further regulate the time, place and manner of the operation of electric personal assistive mobility devices including authorizing the use of electric personal assistive mobility devices on sidewalks, and limiting, prohibiting entirely or prohibiting the use thereof in specified areas under the jurisdiction of such county not wholly included within a city, city with a population of less than one million, town or village.

(b)

The operation of electric personal assistive mobility devices in a city having a population of one million or more is prohibited.

Source: Section 1271 — Traffic laws apply to persons operating electric personal assistive mobility devices; local laws, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/VAT/1271 (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed Oct. 25, 2025).

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Verified:
Oct. 25, 2025

Last modified:
Sep. 22, 2014

§ 1271. Traffic laws apply to persons operating electric personal assistive mobility devices's source at nysenate​.gov

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