The Road Traffic Law will include provisions on electric scooters

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The current regulation does not precisely determine the traffic rules for electric scooters, the authors of the draft law have pointed out in the annotation, emphasizing that as the number of electric scooters increases, the risks to traffic safety, especially for pedestrians, also increase.

The amendment to the law provides for the inclusion of a definition of an electric scooter, stating that it is an electric motor vehicle with a maximum design speed not exceeding 25 kilometers per hour without pedals and intended for one person and equipped with a steering wheel or armrest mechanically connected. with foot support surface.

It is planned that it will be possible to ride a scooter between the ages of 14 and 17 if a person has the right to drive a bicycle or any category of vehicle. Persons who have reached the age of 18 will not need a driving license to drive an electric scooter, the draft law provides.

The law also plans to include the registration of electric scooters – as before, the registration of bicycles will be voluntary, as well as will be allowed to participate in road traffic with unregistered electric scooters. On the other hand, it is planned to apply the same administrative penalties to cyclists for violations as to cyclists.

The bill also provides for clarification of the rules for bicycle riders. It is planned to stipulate that a person aged 10 to 17 will be allowed to ride a bicycle in the future if he or she has the right to drive a bicycle or any category of vehicle. Persons over the age of 18 will not need a driving license to ride a bicycle. In Latvia, cyclists have needed a bicycle driver’s license for 20 years, but it has been concluded that it is not in line with the practice of other European countries, the authors of the draft law have indicated. At present, the law stipulates that a person who has reached the age of 10 and has the right to drive a bicycle or any category of vehicle is allowed to ride a bicycle independently.

It is also intended to clarify the definition of a vehicle by adding that a vehicle with a maximum speed of more than six kilometers per hour is considered to be a vehicle. The law also provides for clarification of the terms moped, tricycle, motorcycle and quadricycle, as well as the definitions of a bicycle.

Also, the amendments to the law envisage supplementing the exceptions when the vehicle does not require a valid state technical inspection. It is planned to determine that it will apply to vehicles which have been equipped by a trade company (merchant) with trade number plates and used in road traffic in accordance with the procedures specified in regulatory enactments regarding the trade of vehicles.

In order for the amendments to the Road Traffic Law to enter into force, they must be adopted by the Saeima in three more readings.

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