The number of offenses related to electric scooters has increased by 42%
Kyiv • UNN
In 2024, 71 cases related to electric scooters were recorded, which is 42% more than last year. The largest fine is UAH 34,000 for drunk driving, but there are still no separate rules.
In 2024, Ukraine has seen an increase in the number of court cases related to the use of electric scooters. This is reported by UNN with reference to Opendatabot.
Details
According to Opendatabot, which refers to the data of the court register "Babusia", 71 cases related to electric scooters were recorded in 2024, which is 42% more than in 2023.
64 administrative offenses were recorded, and 7 criminal cases were opened.
The largest fine of UAH 34,000 was received by a resident of Odesa for driving an electric scooter while intoxicated without a driver's license.
Another 17 people were fined UAH 17,000 each for similar violations, 15 of them for alcohol intoxication and 2 for drug intoxication.
Three offenders were banned from driving vehicles for a year.
Additional
Since 2023, electric scooters, monowheels and other similar means have been officially recognized as vehicles. This has allowed the police and courts to hold their drivers accountable on a general basis, just like car drivers. However, there are still no separate rules for electric scooter users.
According to Mykola Poliukhovych, a member of the board of the NGO "U-Cycle (Association of Cyclists of Kyiv)" on road safety, this conflict could be resolved by draft laws 3023 of 2020 and 10441 of 2024, which have been under consideration by the Verkhovna Rada for a long time.
"Electric scooter drivers are not allowed to move on sidewalks, they are currently not allowed to use bicycle infrastructure, which can only be used by cyclists, which could be appropriate due to the similarity of their characteristics. Therefore, scooter drivers must move exclusively on the roadway, guided by the traffic rules on a general basis, for violations of which they are held accountable - because a vehicle equipped with an electric motor is a source of increased danger to other road users. Given the almost free access to driving electric scooters, as well as the increasing statistics of bringing such drivers to justice by the police and courts, this issue requires legislative regulation," comments Mykola Poliukhovych.
Reminder
Draft laws №3023 of 2020 and №10441 of 2024 are under consideration in the Verkhovna Rada. These draft laws aim to determine the legal status of users of personal light electric transport, establish their rights and obligations, and ensure the safety of all road users.