Government moves to implement stricter penalties for electric scooter use

The Ministry of Transport is proposing a new decree to address the rising number of accidents and fatalities involving electric scooters. Following concerns over the failure of existing regulations to curb reckless behavior, authorities are planning to introduce vehicle impoundment as a mandatory penalty. Charis Christodoulou, an executive engineer at the Department of Public Works, confirmed that the proposed measure would allow for the seizure of devices for a period of 30 to 90 days.

Impoundment will apply to specific violations, including riding on prohibited roads, operation by individuals under 17 years of age, and exceeding the 25 km/h speed limit. While the legislation is intended to improve safety, officials acknowledge that current laws are already stringent but suffer from inadequate enforcement by police and local authorities. Sotiris Ioannou, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, has echoed calls for the immediate and effective implementation of existing frameworks to protect both riders and pedestrians.

The decree is currently being finalized and will soon undergo public consultation and legal review by the Legal Service. Despite previous amendments to the law aimed at enhancing road safety, officials noted that there is a significant delay in operationalizing these provisions. With multiple serious accidents reported throughout August, there is mounting pressure for authorities to finalize the regulations and intensify enforcement efforts to mitigate further risks on the roads.