The Consumer Rights Protection Centre (PTAC) informed bb.lv that it issued a decision to suspend the provision of micromobility services by SIA “RIDE” for the safety of minors.
On October 20, 2025, the PTAC reported that the decision was made following a tragic incident in which two 13-year-old girls died while crossing a railway crossing on a rented electric bicycle.
Evaluating publicly available information and conducting a service inspection, the PTAC established that the mobile application SIA “RIDE” lacks effective mechanisms for verifying the age of users that would prevent minors from accessing the service. Users could freely enter arbitrary birth dates and confirm their adulthood without any verification.
On October 2, 2025, the PTAC issued a directive stating that the provision of the service by SIA “RIDE” is unacceptable and must be suspended until a new decision is made by the PTAC. However, the company did not comply with this directive.
The commission concluded that the service poses a serious threat to the life and health of minors and does not meet the requirements for safe service provision.
To prevent further risks, the PTAC mandated SIA “RIDE” to immediately cease providing the service until the following are ensured:
– verification of the identity and age of users; – unavailability of the service for individuals under 18; – additional safety measures if the service is made available to minors (e.g., use of protective gear, parental consent, possession of a bicycle driving license).
Resumption of operations is only possible after the company presents evidence to the PTAC of the implementation of corrective measures, and these measures are approved by the institution.
At present, contrary to the directive, the company continues to provide the service. If the enterprise does not voluntarily fulfill the imposed obligations, the PTAC will initiate enforcement of the administrative act, applying a fine, the maximum amount of which may reach 10,000 euros.
At the same time, the PTAC reports that amendments to the Road Traffic Law are being prepared, which will establish stricter requirements for the use of electric bicycles — including mandatory registration, age restrictions, and the necessity of having a driving license.
