Özgür Şener, Lecturer at Üsküdar University's Department of Occupational Health and Safety, and Road and Traffic Safety Consultant, made important warnings regarding the increasing use of scooters in big cities in recent years.
Increasing scooter use and traffic safety problems
Road and Traffic Safety Consultant Özgür Şener stated that scooters are increasingly preferred in big cities: “Our aim is to ensure that measures are taken to enable the safe use of scooters. Especially in our large cities like Istanbul, Izmir, and Ankara, where traffic increases and vehicles can even become immobile at certain times of the day, scooters and motorcycles are preferred as fast and easy transportation solutions. Those who want to travel without getting stuck in traffic use both shared scooters and their own scooters. The increasing traffic every day naturally leads to an increase in the number and use of scooters every day.”
Scooters entered our lives intensely in the last 5 years
At this point, Özgür Şener continued, stating that if the safe use of scooters, which have entered our lives intensely in the last 5 years, cannot be ensured, we will continue to hear frequently about deaths and injuries of scooter users in traffic collisions:
“It would be much better and clearer to explain with some official figures. As of 2022, records kept by our official authorities have started to include scooter and similar vehicle accidents. According to official TÜİK data: In 2023, of the total 389,362 vehicles involved in fatal and injury traffic accidents on our country's road network, 48.5% were automobiles, 23.8% motorcycles, 14.0% pickup trucks, 2.4% minibuses, 2.3% bicycles, 2.3% tow trucks, 1.9% trucks, 1.7% buses, 0.8% tractors, and 2.4% other vehicles. Vehicles defined as 'other' include; electric scooters, special purpose vehicles, unknown, etc. When compared to traffic collisions involving vehicles like minibuses, tow trucks, and trucks that have been used on roads for years, it is clear that 2.4% is a very significant rate.”
21 scooter users died in 2,446 traffic collisions
Özgür Şener noted that, according to unofficial figures, in 2023, 21 scooter users lost their lives and 2,050 users were injured in 2,446 traffic collisions involving scooters, and asked, “So, what areas need improvement for safe use? The ‘Safe System Approach’ adopted in developed countries in the field of Road Traffic Safety predicts that the prevention of traffic collisions and the provision of a safe traffic environment are possible, in short, through drivers, the roads used, the vehicles used, and the supervision of all these components.”
Scooter user age set at 16, but…
Özgür Şener stated that the ‘Safe System Approach’ adopted by developed countries sets the user age for scooters at 16, but added, “However, no information required for a 16-year-old user has been defined. Critical information such as knowing traffic rules, knowing traffic signs, and knowing traffic flow are matters of life and death. Unfortunately, it is not possible for someone who does not possess this basic information to safely operate and manage a vehicle on the road. Furthermore, there are no measures in place to ensure that users are 16 years old.”
Legislation on protective equipment use is a statement of good intention…
Özgür Şener emphasized that the legislation on the use of protective equipment is a statement of good intention, noting:
“Namely: Permit holders are obliged to inform users about wearing protective and visibility-enhancing equipment such as helmets, knee pads, and reflective jackets during e-scooter use. The legislation states that it is sufficient to provide information to those who will use it. Whether to use it or not is their choice. Imagine a vehicle allowed to go at 25 kilometers/hour (private use scooters can reach speeds up to 65 kilometers/hour), used by a 16-year-old driver with no protection on a road used by vehicles and motorcycles. With the slightest contact, if their balance is lost, they will hit asphalt, concrete, a tree, or the body of another vehicle. Since they have no protective equipment such as a helmet, glasses, protective jacket, knee pads, or arm guards, at best, injury is inevitable. Even thinking about the worst is very sad. The use of these vehicles without protective equipment must be absolutely prevented.”
Can be used on roads with a speed limit below 50 km
Road and Traffic Safety Consultant Özgür Şener explained that, according to the regulations, scooters can be used on bicycle paths or bicycle lanes if available, or on the road if there is no bicycle lane, provided they stay to the right in a way that does not risk traffic safety, on roads with a speed limit below 50 km, and on roads not prohibited by local authorities. He continued:
“When we evaluate the length of bicycle paths in our country, their accessible locations, and the purposes for which users use these vehicles, we all know that scooters are used largely on vehicle roads. Again, the legislation states that; its speed must not exceed 25 km/h. It must have a braking mechanism. There must be a headlight at the front, emitting white light and capable of illuminating at least 20 meters ahead. At the rear, there must be a red light lamp and a red reflector. There must be a bell, horn, or similar sound device capable of emitting a sound audible from 30 meters. There is no system to control and ensure that all these are in working order, nor for service and maintenance periods, how maintenance service will be provided, and by whom, in short, to guarantee that this vehicle is always in a safe usable condition. In addition to all these, we need to evaluate important topics such as use during dark hours, use in rainy or snowy weather, detection and prevention of use under the influence of alcohol or drugs, insurance conditions for the user or other person harmed in a collision, travel by two or more people, carrying loads, and the use of vehicles mostly on city street-status roads outside the routes where law enforcement conducts traffic inspections.”
State, academia, NGOs, and experts must determine measures and practices!
Özgür Şener pointed out that scooters and similar vehicles should be supported because they are an environmentally friendly solution with their use of electrical energy, an important solution in reducing urban traffic congestion, and the future of alternative and sustainable transportation thanks to their integration with public transport. He concluded: “However, safe use problems must absolutely be resolved. My suggestion is for the state, academia, non-governmental organizations, and institutions like us serving in the field of road traffic safety to come together and determine the measures and practices that will ensure the safest possible use of these vehicles. Otherwise, increasing deaths and injuries, and issues such as France's nationwide ban and Australia's Melbourne ban, are likely to come onto the agenda.”
