Slovenia is fighting pirates on scooters. The police have a new tool, but there are also changes in the law

Electric scooters are already a permanent element of the landscape in large cities. However, they not only facilitate transport – they also often pose a threat. In Slovenia, the authorities see the problem. The police received a new tool and the government is preparing changes in the law.

Lublana. A city of bicycles, pedestrians and faster and faster electric scooters. Some of them accelerate to 90 kilometers per hour. The police say directly: the situation gets out of control. – the radar registered speeding. The user of the electrical scooter was driving at a speed of 90 kilometers per hour – informs Roman Fortuna, head of the city police in Ljubljana.

In theory, these vehicles should not be able to develop speeds above 25 kilometers per hour. Those with modifications drive so fast that their users even exceed the speed for cars. – We have examples of scooters reaching a speed of 60 kilometers per hour – indicates Roman Fortuna.

Not only speed is a problem

Police in Slovenia She just got a new tool for fighting road pirates, because that's how you have to describe them. This device for measuring the possible maximum scooter speed – the rear wheel speed is studied. – The value is displayed on the tablet, the policeman introduces the driver's and vehicle data, prints the report and goes to further activities related to the offense – explains Matevz Sero from the Police Road Traffic Department in Slovenia.

Even a slight limit exceeded is the basis for a penalty of 250 euros. The officers point to other frequent offenses.

– First of all, they do not follow the rules of driving on the right side and in the right direction. They pass on a red light in places not intended, they drive under the influence of alcohol and often use a mobile phone – says Ivan Kapuna, head of the Police Road Traffic Department in Slovenia.

Only a few ride in the helmet – although in Slovenia it is mandatory for everyone up to 18 years old.

The Slovenia government is preparing changes in the law

– Earlier we observed mainly minor injuries, now we are dealing with very serious, including threatening life and fatal ones. These are mainly severe injuries of the head, brain, fracture of the craniofacial bone and long bones, especially femoral and tibia – says Ros Tominec, head of the Emergency Surgery Department of the University Clinical Center in Lublin.

Last year, over 260 accidents involving electric scooters were recorded in this small two million country.

The authorities remind you that scooter users apply the same rules of navigating cyclists. – It means that you can ride bicycle paths within the building, where the limit is 50 kilometers per hour. If there is no bicycle path, then on the road, but definitely not on the pavement – indicates Sasa Jevsnik Kafol from the Road Safety Agency in Slovenia.

The Slovenian government is preparing changes: insurance obligation, a compulsory helmet regardless of age, increasing the minimum age of users to 15 or 16 years old. Many other countries have also introduced numerous restrictions. In Finland and Estonia in large cities on Fridays and Saturdays you cannot rent scooters for minutes. There, this allowed to reduce the number of accidents by half. Shared scooters completely disappeared from the capital Franceand two years ago.