Code of the District of Columbia

§ 50–1555. Personal delivery device operation.

(a) Except within the Central Business District, a PDD that is registered under § 50-1554 and complies with subsection (b) of this section may operate on sidewalks and crosswalks under the jurisdiction of the District of Columbia, and transitorily on public thoroughfares interconnected to sidewalks and crosswalks.

(b) To operate in the District, a PDD shall:

(1) Be operated in a safe and non-hazardous manner so as not to endanger:

(A) Pedestrians;

(B) Bicyclists;

(C) Other lawful users of public space; or

(D) Property;

(2) Not operate above 10 miles per hour;

(3) Have a gross weight of less than 50 pounds, excluding cargo;

(4) Not interfere with pedestrian or bicycle traffic;

(5) Yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching on a roadway upon entering a crosswalk to the extent necessary to safely cross the roadway, except when crossing pursuant to a crosswalk pedestrian signal;

(6) Have a system that alerts the operator if a technology failure or loss of communication occurs, and when such an alert is given, that:

(A) Requires the operator to assume direct control of the PDD; and

(B) If the operator is unable to assume control of the device, causes the PDD to safely come to an off-roadway stop; and

(7) Obey all traffic and pedestrian control signals and signs.

(c) In the case of a technology failure or other circumstance that causes the PDD to come to a stop in a location other than property owned by the owner of the PDD, the owner of the PDD shall remove the PDD within 24 hours.