Police in Abu Dhabi have issued a stark warning about the dangers of misusing e-scooters after sharing shocking footage of a road crash involving a young rider.
The force have renewed a message to the public about the perils of flouting traffic rules, such as travelling on prohibited routes, failing to wear protective equipment and carrying passengers. They called on parents to play their part in stressing the need for safety.
Police shared a video on social media showing reckless riders putting their lives and other road users at risk. The clip included one e-scooter rider and their passenger being struck by a car after turning into its path.
Other e-scooter users are shown weaving in front of cars, travelling on the wrong side of the road and cutting across a roundabout seconds before a car passes at speed.
Police urged parents to help ensure children abide by e-scooters rules, including wearing equipment such as helmets, knee and elbow pads.
What are the rules?
In Abu Dhabi, e-scooters are permitted in certain zones, including on Reem Island, Yas Island and parts of the Corniche, as well as in Al Bateen and the Marina. But they are banned on public roads with a speed limit of 60kph or more.
Riders must be at least 16 and are not allowed to travel with passengers. E-scooters cannot go faster than 20kph.
Though rules stipulate that no one under the age of 16 can ride an e-scooter, it is not uncommon for young children to be involved in accidents.
“Paediatric and adolescent categories are more common because children tend to be more reckless and lose control,” Dr Chidananda Shivashankar, specialist orthopaedic surgeon at Zulekha Hospital Sharjah, previously told The National.
“We see wrist, ankle, shoulder injuries in kids. In adults, it can be more severe. It could extend to fractures, requiring plaster and even surgery depending on the speed with which pedestrians get hit. It has become a menace inside communities and on major roads.”
