The Interior Ministry posted a draft government resolution on amendments to the Traffic Rules for public input, concerning scooters, as well as electric scooters and other personal mobility devices (PMDs).

The amendments were developed as part of the implementation of the order of the Presidential Administration dated August 7 to ensure road safety when using electric scooters, the document says.

Currently, violations related to PMD and scooters are not reflected in the legislation. Drivers of PMD and scooters do not have basic knowledge of traffic rules, which results in incidents, the document says.

Raids carried out in Tashkent since June 14 found that scooter drivers violated traffic rules 190 times. To prevent such situations, the traffic rules plan to clarify the procedure for using personal mobility devices and scooters.

The document proposes to introduce into the Traffic rules the concept of a scooter - a mechanical vehicle with a design speed above 25 km/h, an engine displacement of more than 25 cubic centimeters (if it is an internal combustion engine) or with an electric motor with a rated (installed) power of more than 0.25 kW and less than 4 kW.

Scooters include tricycles and quadricycles with the same characteristics, as well as other mechanical devices adapted for movement on the roadway. Their drivers will be required to wear a helmet before driving.

Personal mobility devices (PMD) include vehicles with one or more wheels (rollers) with an engine or engines (electric scooters, electric skateboards, segways, unicycles, unicycles and similar vehicles) intended for the individual movement of people.

The draft proposes to ban:

• driving PMD for persons under 14 years of age (except for operation in closed areas);
• driving with a passenger (that is, the PMD must carry one person);
• drive a PMD under the influence of alcohol, drugs, their analogues, psychotropic or potent substances, in a state of fatigue and illness that threaten road safety;
• tow one or more PMDs;
• control the PMD in the event of a malfunction of the brake system, steering, sound signal, front and rear headlights or lights that do not work at night or in situations with limited visibility;
• move on the PMD without holding the steering drive or holding it with one hand;
• use phone while driving.

Personal mobility device must be equipped with a headlight or flashlight, a brake, a horn, and white reflectors on the front, red or orange reflectors on the sides, and red reflectors on the rear.

Persons driving electric scooters and other simulators must strictly observe traffic rules while driving, move on sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, pedestrian and bicycle paths at a speed of no more than 6 km/h, and in their absence - at a speed of no more than 20 km/h on on the right side of the roadway, give way to other traffic participants when leaving a residential area and strictly follow the direction of movement of other vehicles, the document says.

It is planned to introduce road signs 3.5.1 (mobility of scooters is prohibited) and 3.34 (mobility of personal mobility equipment is prohibited) into the traffic rules.