A ban is being considered in Parliament, but some personal mobility device (PMD) users aren’t helping at all in the case against outlawing them outright.
On 6 Oct 2019, an e-scooter rider knocked down a toddler along the common corridor of an HDB block.
The shocking moment was captured on CCTV. In the clip, a three-year-old girl can be seen walking outside a ground floor flat as two adults engage in conversation.
PMD Accident in Singapore: Rider crashes into toddler
Mere seconds later, a young PMD user whizzed by and crashed into the child, as well as some items that were leaning against a pillar.
The collision sent the rider crashing onto the pavement, but he quickly got back to his feet and picked up his e-scooter.
A woman screamed and turned around to check on the child, while several other residents gathered at the scene to help.
What happened afterwards remains unknown as the clip ended right there.
The footage was shared on Facebook on Tuesday night by the girl’s father — Garnell Glenn Bernard — in an attempt to alert others about the potential dangers of PMDs in common spaces of HDB estates.
In his post, he wrote that his daughter suffered a minor thigh injury from the incident and that she is “currently doing alright”.
The e-scooter rider in subject claimed that he was riding at 17km/h, Bernard said.
According to the Land Transport Authority, PMDs are allowed to travel with a speed limit of 10km/h on footpaths, and 25km/h for shared paths such as cycling paths and park connector networks.
The collision comes a month after the use of PMDs was prohibited in HDB estates’ common spaces and void decks.
Even though the ban took effect on Sept 1, it might not be strictly enforced as town councils are giving PMD riders a two-month grace period till Oct 31 to adapt to the new regulations.
In September, the Active Mobility Advisory Panel suggested that PMD users should be at least 16 years old, and undergo a theory test before they’re allowed to ride on public paths.
Given the spate of (sometimes fatal) PMD-related accidents, along with a string of fires started by faulty PMDs, members of the public have called for a ban of such devices in the country.
If user behaviours don’t improve, there is a possibility of a ban happening, Senior Minister of State for Transport Janil Puthucheary said on Monday (Oct 7).
This article was republished with permission from AsiaOne.
Also READ: Girl loses 2 teeth after E-scooter accident in Singapore
