Several Members of Parliament (MPs) quizzed the Ministry of Transport (MOT) today about the problem Singaporeans have with the increasing number of accidents involving pedestrians and e-bike/scooter riders. The most prominent incident involved a 53-year-old woman being severely hurt by a 17-year-old driving an e-bike.

The questions raised include those asking whether there will be more enforcement on errant use of personal mobility devices (PMD) like e-scooters, how to keep PMDs off the roads, whether PMD users need to buy insurance to cover third-party damages, and what recourse do pedestrians have when they are involved in accidents with PMDs.

On enforcement

Josephine Teo, Senior Minister of State for Transport, shared that since May 2016, a dedicated team of Active Mobility Enforcement Officers has been patrolling hotspots pedestrians and PMD users and cyclists share paths. She said that officers have issued advisories to over 700 for unsafe behaviour.

She added that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has conducted close to 20 joint operations with the Traffic Police to clamp down on reckless riding behaviour, and will continue with such enforcement operations.

On recourse and insurance

Teo said that "compulsory insurance would be too onerous and costly for the vast majority of cyclists and personal mobility device users who behave responsibly and safely."

So no, there will not be mandatory insurance for PMD users.

As for recourse if a pedestrian is injured by a PMD user?

Teo said "pedestrians injured in accidents in Singapore can obtain compensation by initiating civil lawsuits or through private settlements. If the offender is prosecuted and convicted in criminal court, the court will consider if compensation to the victim should be paid."

Better take down the particulars of the e-bike user who hit you before he/she runs away and there's no number plate for you to identify that person with.

So e-bikes/scooters are here to stay?

It seems so. Teo mentioned Amsterdam and Copenhagen as two cities with a strong culture of active mobility, and singled out Amsterdam as having demonstrated that cyclists and pedestrians can co-exist harmoniously in the same space.

She said that bicycles and PMs offer great convenience, are environmentally friendly and promote a healthy lifestyle. She added that city planners and administrators also see benefits in promoting their use.

Instead of getting rid of PMDs entirely because of a handful of errant users, she said that "new rules and enforcement and education efforts will help to build a culture of responsible and safe sharing of space."

She does however acknowledge that Singapore is "not there yet" when compared to cities like Amsterdam but asked Singaporeans for their cooperation and patience.

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