RTA had earlier introduced residents may trip e-scooters throughout 10 districts from this month
Question: I reside and work in Al Quoz, Dubai. My workplace is about 5km away from my residence. Can I buy an e-scooter and trip it to workplace day by day? Are e-scooters a legally recognised mode of transport that I can trip on footpaths? Are there any guidelines I have to know? Please advise.
Answer: Pursuant to your queries, it needs to be famous that in October 2020, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) had introduced that residents are permitted to make use of e-scooters in designated areas. Therefore, the utilization of e-scooters in Dubai is ruled by the provisions of Administrative Decision No. 208 of 2020 (Dubai E-scooter Law) and the Federal Law No. 21 of 1995 Concerning Traffic amended by Federal Law No. 12 of 2007 (UAE Traffic Law).
The RTA initially introduced that residents might use e-scooters in designated areas of Dubai equivalent to Mohammed Bin Rashid Road, Boulevard, Dubai Internet City, 2nd December Street, Al Riqqa and Jumeirah Lakes Towers. Further, the RTA notified on December 11, 2021, that by the primary quarter of this 12 months (2022), the e-scooter zones could also be prolonged to 10 extra districts.
Article 4 of the E-scooter Law states the obligatory technical necessities that an e-scooter ought to have. These embrace lights; warning and sound units fastened on the driving deal with of the e-scooter; correct braking system; tyres needs to be match to make use of on highway; and GPS. The e-scooter needs to be designed as per the necessities and pointers of the RTA.
Article 5 of the E-scooter Law states the obligations of the rider of the e-scooter. Riders needs to be greater than 14 years previous; put on a helmet; cease or park in the allotted parking zones; not use or depart the e-scooter in public locations which can hinder the circulate of visitors of different autos or basic public; preserve distance between different autos on the highway and other people strolling on footpaths; and chorus from holding or carrying any supplies which can have an effect on the steadiness of the e-scooter.
The particular person shouldn’t trip the e-scooter with different passengers. They ought to notify the authorities involved of any violations or accidents; comply with the visitors indicators and directions on the roads; comply with the final security measures, together with sporting appropriate garments whereas utilizing the e-scooter; and never trip the e-scooter in a harmful method.
Further, Article 5 of the E-scooter Law particularly mentions that one shouldn’t trip the e-scooters on non-designated routes.
Based on aforementioned Article 5 of the E-scooter Law, you could trip an e-scooter from your property to workplace in case your journey route is inside the designated areas permitted by the RTA.
In the occasion you trip an e-scooter in non-designated areas, you could be penalised or imprisoned as per the UAE Traffic Law. This is in accordance with Article 50 of the UAE Traffic Law, which states: “Whoever drives a vehicle on the road whilst suspended from driving by court order or by order of the Licensing Authority shall be sentenced to imprisonment for three months and / or to a minimum fine of Dh25,000.”
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It needs to be famous that the police have the authority to confiscate e-scooters if an particular person rides it in non-designated zones. This is in accordance with Article 60 (3) of the UAE Traffic Law, which states: “A policeman may confiscate a motor vehicle in case it is caught on the road being driven by a person without a licence or permission to drive it, unless he is exempted from same. In this case, the vehicle shall not be released except to a driver holding a driving licence and legally authorised to receive the vehicle.”
You might contact the RTA and confirm in case you are allowed to commute on an e-scooter inside the Al Quoz space of Dubai.
Ashish Mehta is the founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates. He is certified to practise legislation in Dubai, the United Kingdom and India. Full particulars of his agency on: www.amalawyers.com. Readers might e-mail their inquiries to: information@khaleejtimes.com or ship them to Legal View, Khaleej Times, PO Box 11243, Dubai.