Luis F. Durán Madrid
Madrid
Updated Saturday, March 30, 2024-00:53
Mobility The DGT reminds that electric scooters sold from January 22, 2024 must be certified
Mobility Electric scooter circulation certificate: how to request it and what happens if I don't have it
Mobility X-ray of scooters in Madrid: more than 6.5 million kilometers traveled and driven by men and lower-middle class
Electric scooter accidents increased last year in the capital and left more than
602 injured, 25 of them seriously, without any deaths.
In total, mishaps involving personal mobility vehicles (PMV) in the capital grew by 14%, going from 613 accidents to 712. In addition, fines for these vehicles have decreased considerably and the majority are for parking in the wrong place.
In 2023, there were 1,671 sanctions imposed by the Municipal Police and 45,000 by SER controllers. This is a large decrease compared to 2022, where 2,300 (Municipal Police) and 95,000 (SER) were counted. Crimes committed by electric scooters have not increased considerably either. Last year the police investigated 66 misdeeds on board two wheels, the majority (59) for trickery and manipulation of the vehicle, compared to 50 in 2022.
In four cases the crime was being drugged and in three, drunk driving.
Since January of last year, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) defines Personal Mobility Vehicles (VMP) as those that reach speeds of between six and 25 kilometers per hour, excluding electric bicycles with assisted pedaling. This includes electric scooters, electric bicycles, and certain types of motorcycles. In cities like Madrid, the presence of these transportation methods has multiplied in the last five years, especially among young people, leaving
a great environmental benefit for sustainable mobility.
It is estimated that there are about 100,000 electric scooters in the city (6,500 from rental companies), although there is no exhaustive control of their number. They do not need to be registered or pay any type of circulation tax, but
since January 22, 2024, they must carry a DGT identification plate on the base of the vehicle
that authorizes them to circulate and is issued by the manufacturer. In addition, they must have a speed indicator and a braking system with two independent brakes. Personal mobility vehicles (VMP) marketed before that date may circulate until January 22, 2027 even if they do not have a technical certificate. From then on, only those who have the approval will be able to do so, according to the General Directorate of Traffic, which reiterates that they cannot travel on crossroads, interurban roads and highways and highways, as well as through urban tunnels and not on sidewalks in the cities.
Accidents with at least one VMP
In 2023, the Madrid City Council regulated the presence of scooters in the city with a new model,
tightening the regulations through the modification of the Sustainable Mobility Ordinance
and with new authorizations (since last May) that govern operation. of shared scooters. The objective was to try to correct improper parking in pedestrian areas and circulation in non-permitted areas, with the aim that scooters would contribute to promoting sustainable mobility in a more orderly and safe way.
For this reason,
the Municipal Police of Madrid increased controls on this type of vehicles
(now they are also tested for alcohol and drugs, for example), carries out specific information campaigns for these vehicles and pursues irregularities (such as tricks carried out so that they reach more speed than permitted).
Despite everything, according to the Madrid City Council, there is no great conflict with scooters and they refer to the figures. «
In 2023 there were just over 700 accidents where the Municipal Police had to intervene.
That is, less than two accidents a day,” according to the City Council.
Traffic complaints to the VMP
Fines have also decreased by almost half because users know "more and more how to use scooters and there is greater citizen awareness when it comes to parking them." It must be remembered that, in addition to the municipal police, SER controllers also fine poorly parked scooters. In this sense, the City Council recalls that
in the last four years parking spaces for micromobility vehicles have increased,
increasing the forks by 47.7% since 2018 (going from 9,402 to 13,886).
In total,
SER controllers fined 45,000 scooters for poor parking in 2023,
compared to 90,000 in 2022. As for the Municipal Police, 1,671 fines were imposed on scooters in 2023 compared to 2,325 the previous year. Almost 80% of the 1,671 fines were also for parking the scooter in an illegal or illegal place. There were 45 sanctions for not wearing a helmet, 75 for driving with headphones, 144 for driving in unauthorized areas and 45 for driving without the necessary diligence and caution.
The Madrid Prosecutor's Office, in its latest report, warned of the incidents caused in the capital of Spain by scooters and bicycles.
The Public Ministry highlighted the uncontrolled use of tricked-out scooters or mopeds to be able to go faster than permitted
and demanded stricter criminal regulation to better prosecute these behaviors. And he clearly pointed out what the majority of incidents are due to: scooters that go on the sidewalk with the consequent risk for pedestrians.
Plate with the DGT certificate for scooters purchased since January of this year.EM
The Public Prosecutor's Office explains that these types of vehicles are "proliferating" and states that the current Penal Code is not adjusted to the possible infractions committed by their drivers. For this reason, he explains that
"a legal reform would be desirable that, together with greater awareness among citizens, facilitates the prosecution of the most serious behaviors"
without drivers being able to claim that they did not know that they were driving a souped-up scooter.
Along with infractions such as driving on the sidewalk, the Prosecutor's Office targets souped-up scooters so that they go much faster. In this case, other permits and documentation are needed, but they are not "obvious" modifications although they are "simple" to carry out. The Prosecutor's Office points to certain types of mopeds that, sometimes, are already sold as VMP although they reach higher speeds and,
sometimes, not even the user is aware of them, which makes criminal prosecution difficult.
Road safety prosecutors throughout the country have been warning for several years about the need to better regulate this type of vehicles and not only for the purposes of criminal prosecution of infractions. In the report of the State Attorney General's Office for 2021, it warned of
the dangers of driving these scooters without insurance.
It said that "it constitutes a serious irresponsibility that places potential victims in a situation of open helplessness and that is, in itself, revealing of a clearly reckless attitude."