E-Scooter Regulations Loosened in South Korea
|If people think Korean sidewalks and roads can be crazy at times because of the deliverymen on motorcycles, well get ready for additional craziness with e-scooters:
Eased regulations on electric scooters, which will go into effect from December, are feared to lead to more personal mobility device (PMD) related accidents, according to three Seoul residents, one of who is an E-scooter rider herself.
Korea Times via a reader tip
In May, the National Assembly passed the revised Road Traffic Law in a bid to improve public accessibility to smart mobility. E-scooters will be categorized as personal mobility devices and riders will be subject to the same traffic regulations as bicycles.
Anyone above the age of 13, even without a driver’s license will be allowed to ride e-scooters. It is currently only available to those over 16 years old, possessing a driver’s license, as the devices falls under the category of low engine capacity 2-wheeled vehicles.
“It seems ridiculous to let unlicensed minors who lack fundamental knowledge about traffic rules ride on the roads. I’ve recently seen two teenagers in my neighborhood sharing one scooter and dangerously driving above the speed limit (25km/h),” said a resident in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul.
You can read more at the link.