Sinn Féin spokesperson on Transport Martin Kenny TD has called for stronger enforcement against rogue e-scooter use after a video appeared online showing an e-scooter being used on the M50 in Dublin.
In the video, which has been widely circulated on social media, a man person wearing a hi-vis jacket can be seen shooting down the middle of the M50 zooming between cars before veering off into the hard shoulder to drive along there.
Kenny believes that this “behaviour is reckless” given that e-scooters are prohibited from being used on dual carriageways and has urged for penalties for people who are caught doing this.
READ MORE: E-scooter riders viewed as second-most dangerous road users in Ireland, according to new study
Kenny in a statement said: “It was shocking to see someone with such blatant disregard both for their own safety and the safety of other people on the road.
“The snippet of video I saw shows the scooter weaving in and out of lanes across this busy dual carriageway.
“That’s a dangerous enough manoeuvre in a car, never mind a scooter that offers no warning to others, or protection to the rider. In fact, the rider is oblivious to the traffic around them. This behaviour is reckless.
“Only this week we heard from the RSA that serious injuries from road collisions have increased by 180 per cent in the last decade."
He added: “The behaviour of this rider had the potential to cause a serious accident for the drivers around them.
“These vehicles are prohibited from being used on dual carriageways. While it’s impossible to legislate for this type of careless road use, we do have penalties available for this behaviour. Enforcement of the current regulations is required urgently.
“Many people using e-scooters and bikes to travel around cities and villages do so safely, and with consideration for others that they share spaces with.
“However for those putting theirs and other lives in danger so carelessly, there must be significant penalties.”
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