Electric scooters offer a way to bypass traffic, one of the worst aspects of living in Istanbul, Turkey’s most crowded city. However, the electric scooters visible across the city, thanks to a scooter-sharing scheme, face new regulations.
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) announced on Tuesday that its transportation council would discuss the regulations at a meeting Thursday.
The new regulations aim to set a legal framework for scooters that can be rented via smartphone apps, which users can unlock the vehicles.
Municipality officials recently held talks with the rental companies, academics and non-governmental organizations to create regulations. They will bring a set of safety measures and will require rental companies to receive for operations licenses from the municipality. Scooters will also be required to carry an ID number, like plates in motor vehicles, to allow their identification in case of traffic safety violation.
Among requirements for companies, they were asked to install different crash and safety sensors. The sensors will allow tracking of the scooters in case of an accident and notification for emergency services. Companies will also be required to inform customers about the scooters' charge status and the distance they can cover in one charge.
The new regulations will also include rules and other measures for drunk drivers, drivers endangering pedestrians and drivers blocking parking spaces. Companies will also be required to provide training for new users on how to use scooters.
