‘E-scooter insurance? You won’t need it by law, but get it anyway’
Bizarre new rules will ‘encourage’ users to get coverage but won’t force them
EVERYONE knows them simply as e-scooters, but the increasingly popular vehicles will now be given the official title of Powered Personal Transporters under new legislation proposed by Transport Minister Eamon Ryan.
The somewhat robotic name change is part of the minister’s attempt to regulate the use of electric scooters.
So far this year there have been 37 collisions involving e-scooters – compared to just three recorded for the whole of 2018. A total of 59 collisions were recorded by gardaí last year.
While it is still illegal to use e-scooters beyond your own property, the silent vehicles have become an increasingly common sight on our streets and pavements. On average they can attain speeds of 30kph, though some models are much faster.
A total of 91 electric scooters were seized last year, but the legislation governing the use of the vehicles has not been widely enforced.
In a parliamentary question, Social Democrat TD Holly Cairns asked Minister Ryan if the forthcoming legislation on e-scooters would include the requirement to have private insurance and be registered with an appropriate State body.
In his response, the Green Party leader said that regularising the status of e-scooters ‘involves identifying and developing appropriate amendments to primary legislation across a range of complex areas’.
He stressed any changes in legislation would have to ensure e-scooters fit into the ‘overall framework of the road traffic law or road safety in general’.
Mr Ryan told Deputy Cairns: ‘The current approach taken by my department to permit the safe use of e-scooters on public roads takes into consideration the rapid development of these vehicles used for personal transportation.
‘To future-proof the legislation and account for the development of these new vehicles, the road traffic acts are being amended to introduce a new category of vehicle – the proposed title for this new category is “Powered Personal Transporters” (PPT’s).’
But the belated legalisation of the electric scooters will provide users with few actual benefits.
Instead, scooter users will be liable for a range of road offences. Mr Ryan said: ‘The existing offences and powers of An Garda Síochána in road traffic legislation concerning careless/dangerous driving, driving under the influence of an intoxicant, driving an unroadworthy vehicle… can also then be extended to users of Powered Personal Transporters where required.’
He said the new category of vehicle will ‘not be subject to registration or insurance regulations’.
But, somewhat confusingly, he added: ‘Owners may take out private insurance and will be strongly
‘Road traffic acts are being amended’
‘Insurance will come with €750-a-year sting in tail’
encouraged to do so.’ One Government source and e-scooter user told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘This sounds terribly like a case of voluntarily comply or we will make it compulsory to comply.’
The source added: ‘Legalisation is all well and good but if insurance becomes the norm it will come with a €750-a-year sting in the tail.’
A spokesman for the Department of Transport confirmed: ‘The minister has proposed the creation of a new vehicle category which will be known as Powered Personal Transporters (PPTs) and will include escooters and similar devices.
‘Tax, insurance and driving licences will not be required and the principal safety provisions are yet to be finalised and will be introduced by way of Road Traffic Regulations.’
In response to queries from the MoS about the number of Powered Personal Transporters, the spokesman replied: ‘It is not required to register electric scooters and so there is no way of quantifying the numbers currently in circulation.’