The Councillor for Security and Emergencies in Torrevieja, Federico Alarcón, and the of the Local Police, Óscar Cartón, have presented plans for an awareness campaign of the traffic rules that apply to personal mobility vehicles (VMP), the most common of which is the e-scooter, around 5 years after they started to appear on the streets of the country.
To raise awareness among citizens, as well as the users of these vehicles, talks are being held in secondary education centres, which the teachers have been calling for for months, so that the young people know the rules that apply. Aside from the many rules they are unaware of, there are many riders under the age of 16, which is not permitted. To this end, some informational brochures have been prepared that list the infractions that are punishable, as well as recommendations and traffic rules.
Municipal Regulations for Electric Scooters
The Torrevieja municipal regulation of the VMP, highlights the rules that users of electric scooters must comply with. Among them are the following:
- Do not use headphones, mobile phones or manual use systems
- Do not ride on pavements, pedestrian areas or parks
- Helmet and insurance are highly recommended (mandatory in other municipalities)
- It is prohibited to be towed by other vehicles
- Only one occupant
In addition, it is prohibited to circulate with alcohol levels higher than those established or under the influence of drugs, narcotics or psychotropic substances, the alcohol level for under 18’s is zero. It is mandatory to undergo tests to detect these substances. You should not drive negligently or recklessly. You must always be in perfect condition to control the vehicle.
At night or in low visibility conditions, you must have front lights and red rear lights, front and rear reflectors and rear brake light.
As reported by the councillor of the Local Police, specific traffic controls for scooters will be carried out, first of all, to inform about the regulations and control the VPM since, all those that have been acquired from the January 22, 2024 must be certified and comply with the DGT Technical Characteristics Manual (1/21/2022). These must have a factory marking on the back with the maximum speed, serial number, certificate number, year of construction, make and model. Those that are prior to this rule will not be able to circulate from 2027 if they do not have the identification plate. The objective of the controls is to reduce the infractions committed by users; it is a training task. If the violation continues, the sanction will be imposed.
Sanctions and Fines for e-Scooters
These personal mobility vehicles (VMP) must follow the same traffic code of the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) as motor vehicles or bicycles. That is why the sanctions that can be applied are:
- Circulating through pedestrian zone: €80
- Driving without lights at night or in conditions of low or reduced visibility: €200
- Circulating with more than one occupant: €90
- Driving towed by another vehicle: €90
- Circulate if you are under 16 years old: €80
- Driving with drugs in the body: €1,000
- Driving with an alcohol level higher than the regulation: €500
- Refusing to take breathalyser tests: €1,000
- Refusing drug tests: €1,000
- Failure to respect pedestrian priority: €200
- Not respecting the priority of another vehicle: €90
- Parking on pavements, walks and pedestrian or cyclist crossing areas: €80
- Failure to obey mandatory signs (STOP, Give Way, etc.): €80
- Failure to obey prohibition signs (direction prohibited, parking prohibited, etc.): €80
- Failure to respect the agents’ signals: €200
- Failure to respect the red light of a traffic light: €200
General Traffic Rules for e-Scooters
All traffic rules apply to vehicles equally, although some are more restrictive depending on the vehicle or circumstances, but the rules to avoid some of the most common violations of traffic laws include:
- Drive on the hard shoulder. If there is not one, closest to the right side and according to the direction of travel.
- Bike lanes can be used as long as the VMP does not exceed 20 km/h.
- You should not drive in the opposite direction, you must respect the STOP signs, give way, prohibited direction and pedestrian crossings.
- Speed rules, priority of passage and other traffic regulations must be respected.
- Drive with the necessary diligence and caution to avoid risks and damage to yourself or others, avoiding endangering other users.
- In no case will it be possible to circulate on interurban roads (such as the N-332 for example).
It should be noted that traffic rules apply to all vehicles and the requirements for riding a VMP applies whether you own or rent the vehicle.
Information Leaflet for e-Scooter Users
