PublishedJuly 28, 2022, 6:22 PM
French-speaking SwitzerlandEven without a license, teenagers flock to electric scooters
Six young people were denounced in June for driving electric scooters without a driver’s license. More and more teenagers are hitting the road on these machines in French-speaking Switzerland.
- par
- Francisco Carvalho da Costa
The electric scooter is in vogue in French-speaking Switzerland. A real trend, this means of transport is increasingly used to get around town. And teenagers are no exception, even though a moped license is required to drive these electrical devices.
Reminder of the legislation
You must be at least 14 years old and have a moped license to drive an electric scooter. From the age of 16, it is not necessary to have a permit.
When the electric assistance is engaged, the scooter must be used on the road, and not on the pavement.
Six young people paid the price during the month of June on the Riviera. Not having the legal age of 14 or the right driver’s license to borrow these scooters, they were denounced. These scenarios should occur more and more often in the future, explains Didier Leibzig, director general of the Cantonal Vehicles Office of the canton of Geneva. “The greater the supply, the greater the use. It is normal that there are more offenses committed, even by teenagers.”
The electric scooter market is booming in French-speaking Switzerland. Paul Baboujian, sales manager for the Mobygo two-wheel specialist store in Lausanne, is delighted: “We have sold 500 units since January. The inhabitants of Lausanne prefer the electric scooter to the bicycle, because it is notably less expensive. And sales should not drop by December: “The scooter is sought throughout the year, it is not a seasonal good like the bicycle”, he specifies.
Reporting is not systematic
Adult or not, if the electric assistance is not engaged, the driver is considered as a pedestrian. It is when the assistance is activated that the rules of the highway code apply. Thus, if a young person under the age of 14 drives without a license, he risks a fine. But the denunciation is not systematic. “Our approach is preventive. These young people are most often accompanied by their parents. We remember the rules and everything goes for the best, specifies the municipal police of Lausanne. “Whistling takes place if there is an accident or improper behavior.”
The number of teenagers injured in electric scooter accidents has steadily increased in Switzerland, according to statistics from the Accident Prevention Office. In 2021, they were 19 once morest only 3 in 2019 and 6 in 2020.
