The movement of scooters should be regulated as soon as possible by the Law on Road Safety, says Stefan Bulatovich from the NGO Bike.me.
Last year, there were seven road traffic accidents involving electric scootersin which one minor died and seven people were seriously injured. Such data are indicated in the Report on the state of road safety in Montenegro for 2022.
“As the number of users increases, so does the number of dangerous situations, including accidents, which can sometimes lead to death,” Bulatovich said.
The police department told Radio Montenegro that the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) is planning to amend the aforementioned law in the near future to determine the conditions and procedure for the use of electric scooters.
“Some of the electric scooter riders are involved in traffic accidents by falling while driving, then coming into contact with pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles, whether they are moving on the sidewalk, footpaths, bike paths or the roadway.” the Police Department said.
Police advise against using electric scooters on roads and in areas reserved for pedestrians.
“The recommendation of the public organization Biciklo.me is to treat electric scooters as vehicles, that is, to prescribe movement along a bike path or lane, and if there is no path, then move along the road, as is the case with bicycles,” said Bulatovich.
He also advises limiting the speed of movement to about 20 km/h to reduce the chance of injury.
While Bulatovic says there is no perfect solution, authorities are encouraged to look at how different European countries have handled the issue when drafting amendments to the law.
Bulatovic notes that all the ambiguities and dangerous situations associated with the movement of electric scooters indicate that in Montenegrin cities there is no safe and high-quality infrastructure for non-motorized modes of transport, both for scooters and for bicycles and pedestrians. And he adds that amendments to the aforementioned law should provide for the use of electric scooters by minors.
“Age restrictions should certainly exist, but I believe that the law should leave room for young children so that they can ride a scooter under adult supervision,” Bulatovic told Radio Montenegro.
He concluded by adding that decision makers should design streets where children feel safe, as well as areas without heavy and fast traffic, to raise safety to a higher level.
