Each time the number of electric scooters They are older and have gained favor among users due to their practicality and usefulness for getting around town.
There have been a large number of accidents involving scooters
The number of incidents that occurred exceeded for the first time those that occur with bicycles and motorcycles on urban circuits.
According to the DGT, until July 2023, more than one thousand two hundred accidents with electric scooters have been recorded throughout the country.
The main causes have been highlighted excessive speedas well as poor respect for traffic signs or poor traffic flow on sidewalks.
Accidents
Pedestrians are the most seriously affected by such accidents. Last year alone, hundreds of pedestrian accidents caused by scooters were recorded, some of which resulted in serious deaths.
Several times They were not wearing helmets and were not following safety rules.which has intensified criticism of the lack of regulation and control by the authority.
Although many municipalities have put rules in place for their use, such as banning riding on sidewalks or requiring helmets to be worn in certain circumstances, data suggests these measures have not been effective.
Road accident victims’ associations have stressed the need for more surveillance and much stricter sanctions.
Requirements for efficient controls
Due to the sharp increase in accidents, much stricter measures have ended up being requested in many sectors for the use of electric scooters.
Among the proposals made, we highlight the creation of a compulsory driving license, as well as the set lower speed limits and the requirement for insurance.
The Interior Ministry announced that the current regulations were being revised and that the implementation of new regulations in the coming months was not ruled out, although some experts warned that the measures would not be effective if they were not followed by awareness campaigns and road safety education.
In Madrid there is news
Madrid City Hall launched new permits for electric scooters in October. The capital will stop renting them after withdrawing three licenses.
The panorama of mobility in Madrid is going to change a lot, since its mayor, Jose Luis Martinez Almeidaannounced the start of a process of revoking the authorisations of shared electricity rental companies.
The decision was motivated by the failure to comply with the safety conditions established in the authorization documents, which led to the growth of the private electric scooter, a scenario that brought with it a multitude of challenges and responsibilities.
We are facing a measure aimed at improving security, where 74% of Madrid residents believe that the city is not prepared to allow different types of vehicles and means of transport to coexist.
In this new situation, coexistence is sought in a public square already quite crowdedAlthough there is an alternative to renting, six percent of Madrid residents have already used or continue to use electric scooters to get around, and three percent use their own.
Currently, the disappearance of the shared rental alternative, far from reducing the presence of these cars, could end up encouraging their acquisition by citizens who previously opted for occasional rental, so that the presence in the city would increase further. street.
Now they have to have insurance
This measure was approved by a sustainable mobility bill which will require users of electric scooters to have civil liability insurance.
The law has been strongly supported by public opinion, which considers it to be positive for road safety.
The insurance will cover personal and material damage caused by users to third parties, in addition to health and legal defense if an accident occurs, so as to provide a framework of protection for all those who will share the public space.
Let us not forget that, in addition, the regulation of the use of electric scooters has been demanded by sixty percent of Madrid residents who have chosen to limit their use to specific lanes, which is important to guarantee an orderly and safe coexistence.
