Electric scooters back on streets of Latvia

Take note – story published 1 year ago

Weather conditions are becoming more suitable for electric scooters. Even though the season has just started, there have been a number of offenses already, regional television ReTV reported on April 27.

The most frequent offenses caught are two persons on a single scooter, speeding, and no lights. Last weekend, police in Valmiera caught a heavily intoxicated man. "The driving endangered both themselves and the bystanders at that point [..] and it, unfortunately, is not the first case this year," said State Police's representative Kristīne Boževniece.

Adults have used this means of movement to get home late-night or early-morning hours from, for example, a bar visit. The scooter lease company Bolt said that irresponsible drivers are a problem of the entire micro-mobility industry.

Therefore, a plan is being implemented to tackle the problem of driving under the influence. “A test is activated at specific times. We check for reaction – for example, the driver has to go through a maze or click a point. If the test is not passed, we don't let them drive. Currently we install it and test it in those countries where it is the most needed," said the head of Bolt's rental in Latvia, Fēlikss Igaunis.

So far, a number of companies providing such services have introduced an automatic speed limit in certain areas, such as parks, in cooperation with municipalities. "With the help of sensors, we can determine the weight. If we regularly see that the customer's weight is higher, then we report it. And if it repeats many times, then we block the customer. This means that more than one person is moving on the scooter," the Bolt representative said. These solutions are still emerging.

Electrical scooters can be driven by people 14 and over, and a bicycle driving license is needed up to the age of 18. Last year nearly 300 accidents involving scooters were reported; 199 people were injured and one died.

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