The LTSA has carried out a study showing that the majority of electric scooter riders disregard the rules of the road (RR). Often, scooter riders do not take care of their own safety and the safety of other road users.
Scooter riders were observed during a five-hour experiment in the centre of Vilnius. 70% of them were found to be crossing pedestrian crossings, despite the mandatory rule to dismount and catch the scooter. A tenth of the riders were not riding alone and only 2% were wearing a helmet, despite the fact that it is compulsory for those under 18.
Genius Lukošius, Head of LTSA, points out that despite the growing popularity of electric scooters and the development of scooter sharing platforms, scooterists are not sufficiently interested in rules and safety requirements.
The survey found that more than half of drivers do not obey the rules of the road: they drive on pavements when there are cycle paths, ignore pedestrians, and disregard crossing rules. The LTSA leader stresses that this situation is also visible in online discussions.
This year, LTSA is running a communication campaign called "Take Care" to educate scooter riders and encourage them to respect the rules of the road. It stresses that scooters should be ridden on cycle paths or kerbs, and on pavements only when necessary. When riding on the carriageway, a brightly coloured vest should be worn or lights should be switched on.