The public initiative is actively gathering signatures on the Manabalss.lv website.
Residents of Latvia seem determined to ban the rental of electric scooters and scooters after a high-profile tragedy at a crossing in Imanta, where two 13-year-old girls recently lost their lives while riding a rented scooter from Ride Mobility (SIA "Ride").
The public initiative has already gathered over 850 signatures - residents of Riga and Latvia are actively signing and spreading the call on social media to put an end to the chaos on the roads caused by the popularity of this type of transport among minors. Here is what the initiative states:
"The initiative calls for specific measures to be taken:
- Amend the Road Traffic Rules and regulations to include a clause that public electric scooters may only be used by individuals who are at least 18 years old.
- Implement mandatory identity verification for users through eID card or photo ID verification (selfie with the document).
- Require companies providing shared services to implement technical solutions for age verification in their applications.
- Establish accountability for companies that do not verify user ages or allow circumvention of the system.
- Introduce fines for users who deliberately register using the data of others to bypass age restrictions.
Expected outcomes:
- Safety – the number of traffic accidents, injuries, and fatalities among minors will decrease.
- Trust in public transport – people will feel more secure knowing that these services are regulated and monitored.
- Peace of mind for parents – parents will be able to rest assured that their children cannot use rental scooters without permission.
- A more responsible business environment – companies will be forced to think about safety, not just profit.
- Life and health as a priority – the government will show that the safety of people is valued above financial interests."
Despite the public outcry following the tragic death of the two 13-year-old girls at the Imanta station - who were riding a rental scooter - the company "Ride Mobility" (SIA "Ride") continued its operations despite the ban from the Consumer Rights Protection Center (PTAC). The Latvian segment of social media is extremely dissatisfied with this approach by the management of the company.
Let us remind you that on October 1, a tragic incident occurred at the Imanta railway station: two girls riding a rented scooter were hit by a train. Emergency services reported that one of the girls died at the scene before medics arrived. Three medical teams attempted to save the second girl, but her injuries were too severe.
