Starting April 2020, all e-scooters are required to go through a mandatory inspection every two years in order to make sure they follow the right criteria for use on public paths, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Monday (7 October).
This announcement comes after Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min said in August that all e-scooters have to undergo a mandatory inspection, which is done to ensure that PMDs comply with the UL2272 standard.
For those who are not aware, UL2272 is a safety standard that will reduce the risk of fire, and the compulsory inspection that will be conducted from next April will check for the device’s UL2272 certification, width, weight and its speed limits.
Electric scooters cannot be more than 20kg and a width of 70cm. The vehicle’s speed must also be capped at 25kmh before they can used on public paths, and have a speed limit of 10kmh on footpaths and 25kmh on share pathways.
“These are part of a series of measures to improve public safety,” said LTA in the media release.
Additionally, the Authority asserted that free inspections will be scheduled for e-scooters registered before 1 April 2020 and were given the UL2272- certification.
“Those who fail to send their devices for inspection by the stipulated deadline could face a fine of up to S$1,000 and/or jailed up to three months, if convicted,” said LTA.
For e-scooters that don’t receive its UL2272 certification, it will automatically be deregistered by July next year – which is the deadline for all e-scooters to meet the fire safety standards. As for devices that are UL2272-certified but do not adhere to the weight, width and speed requirements during inspection, the device’s registration will be cancelled by LTA.
When the mandatory check starts next April, all brand-new e-scooters must pass the inspection before they can be registered for use on public paths, LTA noted.
“Retailers and businesses will only be able to display, sell or lease devices that have passed the inspection and bear the requisite registration mark,” it added.
If anyone commits an offence of riding an unregistered e-scooter on public paths, they can be fined S$2,000 and/or jailed up to three months. If that’s not all, those who is found guilty of riding a non-compliant e-scooter on public paths, they will be fines S$5,000 and/or jailed up to three months.
LTA will also be looking at upstream measures to curb the problem of non-complaint personal mobility devices (PMDs) more effectively.
“LTA is also reviewing the penalties for illegal modification of PMDs and other offences, and will not hesitate to come down hard on users who flout the rules flagrantly and endanger the lives of others,” it stated.
In recent times, the number of accidents involving PMDs – particularly fire incidents – have been on the rise. In July this year, two brothers ran out of their fourth-storey Ang Mo Kio flat after their electric scooter exploded while being charged. The fire destroyed their flat and two neighbouring units were damaged as well.
If that is not all, on 18 July, 40-year-old Goh Keng Soon was pulled out of his burning flat in an unconscious state; the fire reportedly connected to the three burnt e-scooters in his living room. He died two days later. Mr Goh, a private hire driver, may possibly be the first person who died in a fire accident linked to a PMD.
Subscribe
Login
0 Comments
