Currently, in most countries, it is not necessary to obtain a license to drive an electric scooter, since they are considered Personal Mobility Vehicles (PMV), a category of vehicles that also includes to segways, electric unicycles and hoverboards.
Personal Mobility Vehicles (VMP) are characterized by their low size and weight, their maximum speed of 25 km/h and their maximum power of 1000 W. Due to these characteristics, they are considered alternative mobility vehicles to the bicycle, and are not considered requires the same level of training and skill as traditional motor vehicles.
However, it must be taken into account that VMPs are subject to traffic regulations. This means that drivers of electric scooters must respect the same traffic rules as drivers of cars, motorcycles and bicycles. For example, they must drive on the road, respect traffic lights and traffic signs, and wear a helmet.
In some countries, such as Spain, the possibility of requiring a driving license to drive an electric scooter is being studied, mainly due to the increase in the number of traffic accidents related to electric scooters.
Taking into account that these Personal Mobility vehicle driver users are obliged to comply with traffic regulations, it is logical to think that it is necessary that they be required to know them, reinforcing the obligation of the drivers. users of these vehicles to comply with traffic regulations and road safety rules.
The General Directorate of Traffic establishes the need to obtain an AM license to be able to circulate with a moped, that is, to drive a motorcycle with a power of less than 50cc and with a maximum speed of 45 km/h, for which it is necessary pass psychotechnical tests, a theoretical exam related to traffic signs and road safety, a practical exam, and be over 15 years of age.
This license should also be mandatory for all drivers of electric scooters and other personal mobility vehicles, since after all they circulate on the roads of our cities and towns. Although it is true that there is a child population that also uses or can use these vehicles, some differentiation will have to be established between the vehicles suitable for some and for others, since some constitute a means of personal transportation and the other has or should have The main functionality is that of a child or youth toy. At the end of the day, we must not forget that those under fifteen are still children, in many ways.
Electric scooters are an increasingly popular form of transportation, but they are also a vehicle that can be dangerous if not driven safely.
With speeds of up to 25km/h, a scooter can be a danger to a pedestrian if the traffic rules are not respected, such as respecting traffic lights, stops and yields, among others, Likewise, being silent and small vehicles, they can be difficult for pedestrians to see when traveling on sidewalks, increasing the risk of collision with a pedestrian.
Electric scooters are vulnerable vehicles, which means that in the event of an accident they are more likely to have more serious injuries to their driver than in other vehicles, also in the event of accidents with other larger vehicles, such as a car, risk of serious injuries increases considerably.
Conducts such as driving on the sidewalk at maximum speed, not respecting pedestrians, not respecting traffic signs, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and not wearing protective measures (helmet ) can increase the risk of suffering a serious accident.
Accidents with a scooter can lead to serious injuries, such as head trauma, fractures in extremities such as feet, arms and hands, and sprains or injuries to the ligaments, are some examples of the most common injuries when having an accident with a scooter. an electric scooter.
In addition to the damage you may suffer when driving an electric scooter incorrectly or recklessly, this behavior generates tension in other drivers and even pedestrians.
A pedestrian traveling on a sidewalk along which scooters also circulate irregularly and at high speeds in both directions, both in the direction of the pedestrian’s travel and against it, generates unnecessary stress in the pedestrian, who, when trying to avoid a scooter may suffer a fall or be run over by another.
Likewise, vehicle drivers, being aware of the large number of scooter drivers who ignore the most basic rules of the highway code, can take extreme precautions at street crossings, at stops and at yields, fearing the uncontrolled appearance of an electric scooter. These situations are dangerous since they can lead to accidents between vehicles, as these reactions do not surprise other drivers on the same road.
A traditional motor vehicle such as a car or motorcycle can cause great harm to pedestrians if they cause an accident when its driver performs a maneuver to avoid running over or colliding with an electric scooter.
Just as a driver is held accountable to third parties in the event of accidents, and even legal responsibilities, drivers of electric scooters should also be held to the same responsibilities because, after all, they circulate on the roads, and can be generators of accidents and accidents.
This requirement, in turn, would mean greater awareness among the drivers of these personal mobility vehicles, regarding the rules they must comply with and the consequences of their non-compliance, and it would even be advisable that they be sanctioned. , like the rest of the drivers of other vehicles, for failing to comply with these rules, which in some cases must even be more harmful to the driver, since in the end the risks that these personal mobility vehicles pose or may pose for their users themselves, pedestrians and other vehicles may be greater in terms of the severity of their injuries or those of others as they are vulnerable vehicles, for failing to comply with the basic rules of coexistence in terms of traffic.
