Electric scooters, an increasingly popular vehicle in urban areas, not only provide convenience for everyday travel but can also pose a safety risk. To find ways to ensure that environmentally-friendly vehicles spread in cities without causing chaos and pedestrian danger, the Ministry of Transport and Communications is inviting municipalities for discussion and expecting ideas from the public. "Electric scooters are a very comfortable and environmentally friendly vehicle. However, we would like to remind you that their users are also road users, who are bound by all rules of safe conduct. Unfortunately, there are more and more examples of scooters endangering themselves and others. We don't want to talk about prohibitions, we have enough of them, but a discussion about traffic culture is a must," said Minister of Transport and Communications Rokas Masiulis. E-scooters with power up to 1kW and a maximum speed of 25km / h equate to motorbikes. The drivers of such e-scooters should keep in mind that they are subject to the same requirements as cyclists. Both bicycle and e-scooter drivers must give way to pedestrians, not be disturbed or endangered. When passing a pedestrian, the speed must be reduced to a speed close to the person's walking distance (3-7 km / h) and a safe distance must be maintained.
Also, to cross a pedestrian crossing, both the e-scooter and the bicycle rider must disembark from the vehicle and carry it safely. During the dark hours, you should wear a bright safety vest with reflective tapes and have lights on. Where there are no cycle paths or bike lanes, sidewalks, bicycles are allowed on the sidewalks. In Lithuania, it was decided to allow this in 2014, given the inadequate bicycle path infrastructure and the safety of cyclists. Recently, the proliferation of e-scooters has led to an increase in related accidents. Pedestrian dissatisfaction is also heard that e-scooters on the sidewalk are a threat to the safety of both pedestrians and e-scooters themselves. It is noticeable that in some cases e-scooter drivers either do not know or disregard the statutory traffic regulations. The Ministry of Transport is appealing to all municipalities in the country to discuss the modalities of e-scooter participation in public traffic. Citizens' opinion is also awaited. The ministry also invites municipalities to carry out active educational training and supervision of road users and to develop bicycle-friendly infrastructure enabling safe cycling and e-scooter traffic.
