Riders must drive in specialised lanes and park in designated spots

Children aged 14 and above are allowed to ride e-scooters, authorities in Sharjah have announced. Riders must wear helmets and make sure to switch on the front and rear lights. They must drive in specialised lanes and park in designated spots.

This came as the Child Safety Department (CSD), an affiliate of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA) in Sharjah, collaborated with the Sharjah Police to launch a public awareness video.

The video highlights the importance of adhering to safety guidelines.

The awareness video urges parents to monitor their children and ensure they are aware of the safety guidelines when riding e-scooters. The video states that most electric bicycles accidents that involve children are categorised as ‘run-over accidents’, which usually occur due to riding on public roads designated for cars.

E-scooters are getting increasingly popular among UAE residents. However, some riders are flouting the rules, leaving them liable to fines and e-scooter confiscation.

Police forces in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah have issued multiple warnings against riding the e-scooters illegally.

The Abu Dhabi Police had recently warned e-scooter riders against using public roads.

In July this year, the Dubai Police had seized over 1,700 vehicles, e-scooters and cycles for breaking traffic rules. E-scooters are not allowed in public parks in Dubai.

The Sharjah Police had seized over 1,800 e-scooters, motorcycles and bicycles in the first quarter of this year. Of these, 181 were e-scooters.