UAE Authorities Force E-Scooter Riders to Follow Safety Rules

UAE authorities have urged e-scooter riders to follow safety rules as officials stated that two riders died and eight other were injured in a number of traffic accidents this year.

This caution followed the launch of a national forty-five day campaign by UAE Traffic Council aimed at raising awareness among e-scooter riders, pedestrians and motorists. Some users, according to officials, abuse electric scooters by transporting people or objects, which is strictly prohibited in compliance with safety reasons.

Besides, it is estimated that the majority of the incidents are the result of e-scooters collision with other vehicles due to the neglect of safety and traffic rules, while the most common mistakes are not wearing a vest, proper gears and protection helmet when riding the e-scooters.

Executive Director of Traffic and Roads Agency at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai Hussain Al Banna said that since the permit system launched in May the authority issued more than 22,000 permits for e-scooters aimed at educating riders on how to use these electronic vehicles.

In UAE people possessing driving license for cars or motorbikes do not need a separate license to ride e-scooters. Still, for security and educational reasons the permit can be obtained by attending training courses and passing an online test. The whole procedure lasts 90 minutes.

The RTA provided parking spaces for shared e-scooters along the permitted tracks and areas, plus, in order to guide the riders, UAE authorities have put stickers, signs, and red paint on the roads. Officials also admit that specific legislation and laws of using the electric scooters as well as specific tracks are expected to appear soon in the UAE.