An accident in Nicosia involving journalist Dimitris Dermatas has underscored the issues of enforcement and compliance surrounding the use of electric scooters.
Dermatas recounted that an electric scooter rider abruptly cut across his path while he was on his motorcycle, leading to an accident that left him with injuries requiring hospitalisation and surgery.
Despite the implementation of new laws aimed at regulating scooter use, their practical enforcement seems lacking.
“I have a serious leg fracture and a deep wound,” Dermatas said, describing the incident that took place on Grivas Digenis Street. He noted the scooter rider moved unexpectedly from the far left to the right side of the road without checking, leading to the collision.
The impact caused the scooter rider to fall, though she was unharmed. Dermatas, however, faces extensive physical, psychological, and financial repercussions, including a two-month immobilisation and significant damage to his new, uninsured motorcycle.
Iasonas Senekis, Road Safety Advisor, criticised the ineffective implementation of the legislation. “It has some practical difficulties in implementation because it stipulates that scooters should only be used on cycle paths and roads with a speed limit of less than 30 km/h, but these areas are limited. A second practical difficulty is that municipalities, despite what the law states, have not proceeded to designate areas where scooters can be used.”
Additionally, Senekis noted that both the Ministry of Transport and the municipalities have not planned to reduce speed limits on certain roads to accommodate scooters. “As a result, someone riding a scooter must stop using it and walk alongside it when they leave cycle paths or 30 km/h roads. There is no interconnected network.”
He stressed that the legislation was passed to restrict rather than regulate scooter use. “Apart from the competent authorities failing to take the necessary actions, the rental scooter companies also fell short. They place scooters on highways, exceeding the 30 km/h limit. There is also a lack of control over where these scooters are parked. Technological measures have not been utilised to monitor speed and restrict areas of use, thus enforcing compliance. There is a general indifference and tolerance, which sometimes leads to injuries.”
He further highlighted that all road users are generally exposed. In the event of a traffic collision, as these scooters are uninsured, the other driver would have to take legal action and, in the best-case scenario, receive compensation after a five-year wait. He also stated that the municipalities, scooter rental companies, Transport Ministry officials, and the Police are responsible for conducting checks.
However, he noted that Malta recently banned rental scooters, and a similar discussion is underway in Paris.
Marinos Moushiouttas, Chairman of the House Transport Committee, noted that the regulations, effective since March 2023, are often flouted both by users and the authorities meant to enforce them.
“Users seem to be disregarding the law by riding in areas or at speeds they shouldn’t. At the same time, the competent authorities (municipal traffic wardens and the police) appear to be failing to carry out inspections, as violations are a daily occurrence,” Moushiouttas said.
