Cop?

Inspector !: New bill expands inspectors' enforcement powers against scooter riders

The bill - initiated by MK Eitan Ginzburg - seeks to extend the powers of inspectors also against electric bike riders. This, in view of the non-regulation of these tools and the sharp increase in traffic offenses committed by riders, versus inspectors whose powers are limited. " : Lifesaving"

Shani Frumkin and Keinan Cohen

23/01/2022

Sunday, 23 January 2022, 11:05 Updated: 11:54

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

• Share on general

• Comments

  Comments

In the video: Enforcement operation against bicycle and electric scooter offenses in Tel Aviv (Photo: Police Spokeswoman)

The bill of MK Eitan Ginzburg, chairman of the Blue and White faction, on riding scooters and electric bicycles will be approved today (Sunday) by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation.

The bill seeks to extend enforcement powers to municipal inspectors for traffic offenses committed by riders.

"The bill has a clear purpose: to save lives," said MK Ginzburg

. "To be effective enforcement within the cities, which will reduce the number of road accidents and the number of fatalities. Every day that passes without significant enforcement capability - causes more casualties and more fatalities, and with that it is impossible to come to terms with."

More on Walla!

An increase in riders of electric scooters in Tel Aviv who break the law - the municipality is determined to fight

To the full article

Byrd's scooter (Photo: PR)

The introduction of scooters and electric bicycles for widespread use has accelerated significantly in recent years, thanks in no small part to the transportation response they provide to the growing traffic jam problem, and the entry of cooperative tool rental companies. According to data from the Tel Aviv Municipality, since 2008 there has been a fivefold increase in the use of power tools - and today there are about 150,000 trips a day.

With the rise in popularity of two-wheeled vehicles, there has been a sharp and consistent increase in traffic offenses committed by riders, causing more road accidents and an increased risk to pedestrians and riders themselves. Last year alone, 11 cyclists and four electric scooter riders were killed. Before that, between 2015 and 2019, the number of fatalities and serious injuries in bicycle accidents jumped from 128 to 306, and in scooter accidents from 5 to 131. To the data must be added the hundreds of lightly wounded as well as the wounded who did not come to the hospitals and did not report to the police.

The non-regulation of these tools made their use the no-man's land.

For example, a pedestrian who is injured in a scooter accident will not be able to receive compensation as a road accident victim, but will have to sue the scooter driver personally.

Although local authorities were given the authority to enforce scooter riding laws, many of them were in no hurry to train inspectors for the task - in some cases due to the refusal of the inspectors themselves.

An accident scene in which a scooter rider died.

Tel Aviv, March 2021 (Photo: Walla !, official website)

The one that has set itself the goal of dealing with the issue of enforcement is the Tel Aviv Municipality, where the rate of use of tools is the most extensive, and the rate of casualties accordingly. In 2021, there was a 15% increase in the amount of fines recorded by the municipal enforcement department against scooter and bicycle and electric riders - with about 39,000 reports. But for now, municipal inspectors are allowed to enforce only a limited amount of offenses compared to police powers, and although the Tel Aviv Municipality invests millions in paving many tens of miles of bike paths - inspectors cannot enforce offenses committed on trails. MK Ginzburg's bill will allow inspectors the authority to enforce traffic offenses on any riding lane.

Meanwhile, last November, Mayor Ron Huldai sent a letter to Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli, Homeland Security Minister Amar Bar-Lev, Justice Minister Gideon Saar and Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, please regulate and enforce the issue, which he called "burning and urgent."

Huldai first elaborated on the benefits of two-wheeled electric vehicles, writing that "global experience shows that countries and cities that have learned to produce alternatives to the private car enjoy improvement in all measures of life, including economic, cultural and community," and stressed that "Dependents in the private car suffer from air pollution, traffic jams, the movement of people to the suburbs, and the decline of the urban and community fabric."

At the same time and due to "the significant damage to the safety of pedestrians on the sidewalks, and the alarming increase in road accidents involving electric vehicle users," Huldai called for the extension of enforcement powers to inspectors, which include bicycle lanes and under-16 riders. That an identification number will be given to all the power tools for effective enforcement.

Similar to this request, MKs Moshe Gafni, Yitzhak Pindros and Yaakov from Torah Judaism have initiated a bill that would require the carrying of an identification plate.

At the beginning of last December, the Knesset plenum approved a preliminary reading without opponents.

"It is important to add that the municipality carries out significant and uncompromising enforcement."

Rat (Photo: Reuven Castro)

MK Ginzburg's bill is also expected to add riding with headphones, using a cell phone while riding, riding without a helmet and riding another passenger - to the list of offenses that inspectors can enforce, not just police officers. "I hope to pass the law soon so that city residents, pedestrians and cyclists, feel safe on the streets," Ginzburg said.

The Tel Aviv Municipality stated in response that "the municipality welcomes any move that will allow increased enforcement of traffic offenses committed by cyclists and electric scooters. "The municipal inspectors are given so that we can effectively enforce traffic offenses and ensure the safety of pedestrians.

It is also important to add that the municipality carries out significant and uncompromising enforcement with an emphasis on prohibited riding on the sidewalk of electric bicycles and motorized scooters, in order to maintain the safety of pedestrians on the sidewalk. "Enhanced enforcement and established a dedicated unit under the municipal supervision at the end of 2019. However, as stated, there is a need to regulate the tools and provide additional enforcement powers to the inspectors, which will allow deterrence and reduce traffic offenses."

• news

• News in Israel

• Events in Israel

Tags

• Electrical scooters

• Tel Aviv Jaffa