Electric scooters, how regulations and prohibitions will (perhaps) change
What is in the pipeline in Parliament on the regulation of electric scooters
In Italy there are at least 140 thousand electric scooters , including private ones and those of sharing companies. According to the National Sharing Mobility Observatory in large cities, one in three shared vehicles is an electric scooter. A figure that makes the number of rentals soar, 7.4 million in 2020 , and kilometers traveled, 14.4 million , with an average duration of 12.1 minutes per rental and a distance traveled of 1.8 kilometres. Faced with these numbers, politics is moving to try to regulate a sector that today has no rules.
In 2020 564 accidents of which 4 were fatal
A few days ago a 27-year-old lost his life in a clash between scooters in Florence, it is the fourth since the beginning of the year, writes La Stampa . “Do you know how many accidents aboard electric scooters were recorded only in 2020? – says Luigi Gabriele, president of Non-profit Consumerism at Corriere della Sera -. As many as 564 casualties, with 518 injured and one death despite the lockdown ".
The mobility bonus
The mobility bonus , introduced by the Conte II government, had a positive impact on the purchase of electric scooters. Of the 558,725 citizens who received the mobility bonus, 15% bought a scooter.
The need for regulation
Elena Maccanti, group leader of the League in the Transport Committee, presented a bill also supported by Giuseppe Donina, rapporteur for the reform of the Highway Code, and under discussion in the House committee. “Cities cannot be transformed into dangerous playgrounds, at the mercy of the far west of scooters. The phenomenon has been underestimated for too long, ”said Elena Maccanti.
The proposal in the Transport Committee
On April 15, 2021, the examination of the bill with "Provisions on the circulation of mainly electric powered scooters" began in the Transport Committee. The first signatory is the Forza Italia deputy, Roberto Rosso. "Last Thursday we finished the hearings, in September we will discuss the amendments in committee and in a couple of months we should be able to bring the bill to the Chamber, then once it is voted in the House it will pass to the Senate, so I believe that in the first months of 2022 we should finally have the law on scooters ”, Roberto Rosso told Corriere della Sera .
No to circulation on the sidewalks
The bill provides for the absolute prohibition of circulation on the sidewalks of scooters, identified as vehicles with a rated power not exceeding 0.50 kilowatts. Wild stopping is also prohibited for which a penalty of between 41 and 168 euros is foreseen. Each municipality will have to identify spaces for electric scooters in places that today are reserved only for mopeds and motor vehicles.
Speed limit
The speed limit will be raised to 20 kilometers per hour on cycle paths and 30 kilometers per hour on urban roads . In pedestrian areas up to 6 km per hour.
Single-seater scooters only
The electric scooter cannot be shared with more passengers, it can only accommodate the driver on board. It will also be forbidden to transport animals and to tow or be pulled by other vehicles. The vehicle must be driven with both hands unless you are signaling a left or right turn. For those who transgress there are penalties ranging from 50 to 250 euros.
No circulation after sunset
The proposal to ban traffic after sunset is much debated. The bill presented by the Lega proposes the obligation to carry the vehicle by hand from half an hour after sunset. For those who transgress there is the confiscation of the electric scooter . On this point, a modification is being considered that would allow the vehicle to circulate as long as it is equipped with reflectors. Also in this case the penalty for those who do not respect the rules ranges from 50 to 250 euros.
Even the rental subject to resolution
The rental service will also be subject to a municipal resolution. The number of licenses that can be activated and the maximum number of vehicles in circulation will be established.
Safety for pilots
Anyone riding an electric scooter will be required to wear a high visibility vest or braces . Probably minors will also have to use a helmet, a device that the ACI would like to extend to everyone.
Prohibitions for minors
The ban on use for minors was discussed among the new rules. Considering that a 14-year-old is allowed to drive a moped, the proposal seems inconsistent. More likely the introduction of a license or an examination on the Highway Code.
Mandatory insurance
Another relevant novelty will be compulsory insurance. "Sharing companies already have it – says Rosso to Corriere della Sera -, but private individuals do not and in the event of an accident the scooter driver can already find himself having to compensate even substantial damages at his own expense". The decision to introduce insurance responds to requests from various associations. “Certainly, when we started the process last April, we felt the need to respond to so many requests for help – adds the Forza Italia deputy to Corriere -. The Italian Blind Union , for example, came to the hearing and told us that today many sidewalks are invaded by scooters parked or left there without care, representing not only an element of urban decay but also real architectural barriers for the people with disabilities ".
Codacons: "Enough with the far west"
Codacons is very much in favor of a regulatory proposal. “It was about time, enough with the Far West, we need rules – says the consumer association -. According to a recent study conducted in the US, electric scooters are more dangerous than bicycles ”.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/economia-on-demand/monopattini-elettrici-come-cambieranno-forse-norme-e-divieti/ on Fri, 13 Aug 2021 08:13:08 +0000.