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Emirates:
Question: I reside and work in Al Quoz, Dubai. My office is
about 5km away from my residence. Can I purchase an e-scooter and ride it to
office daily? Are e-scooters a legally recognised mode of transport that I can
ride on footpaths? Are there any rules I must know? Please advise.
Answer: Pursuant to your queries, it should be noted that in October
2020, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) had announced that residents
are permitted to use e-scooters in designated areas. Therefore, the usage of
e-scooters in Dubai is governed 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 announced that residents may use e-scooters in designated
areas of Dubai such as 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 first quarter of this year (2022),
the e-scooter zones may be extended to 10 more districts.
Article 4 of the E-scooter Law states the mandatory technical requirements that
an e-scooter should have. These include lights; warning and sound devices fixed
on the driving handle of the e-scooter; proper braking system; tyres should be
fit to use on road; and GPS. The e-scooter should be designed as per the
requirements and guidelines of the RTA.
Article 5 of the E-scooter Law states the obligations of the rider of the
e-scooter. Riders should be more than 14 years old; wear a helmet; stop or park
in the allocated parking zones; not use or leave the e-scooter in public places
which may hinder the flow of traffic of other vehicles or general public;
maintain distance between other vehicles on the road and people walking on
footpaths; and refrain from holding or carrying any materials which may affect
the balance of the e-scooter.
The individual should not ride the e-scooter with other passengers. They should
notify the authorities concerned of any violations or accidents; follow the
traffic signals and instructions on the roads; follow the general safety
measures, including wearing suitable clothes while using the e-scooter; and not
ride the e-scooter in a dangerous way.
Further, Article 5 of the E-scooter Law specifically mentions that one should
not ride the e-scooters on non-designated routes.
Based on aforementioned Article 5 of the E-scooter Law, you may ride an
e-scooter from your home to office if your travel route is within the designated
areas approved by the RTA.
In the event you ride an e-scooter in non-designated areas, you may 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.”
It should be noted that the police have the authority to confiscate e-scooters
if an individual 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 may contact the RTA and verify if you are allowed to commute on an e-scooter
within the Al Quoz area of Dubai.