More than five times increase in PMA lookalike misuse cases in 2024: LTA
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The most frequent offences included riding non-compliant devices and riding a PMA lookalike or e-scooter on a footpath.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE - The number of offences linked to the misuse of personal mobility aid (PMA) lookalikes in 2024 increased by more than five times compared with a year earlier, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
An LTA spokesperson said on Feb 21 that there were 38 offences involving PMA lookalikes in 2024, up from just six cases of misuse in the preceding year.
The most frequent offences included riding non-compliant PMAs and riding a PMA lookalike or an e-scooter on a footpath, said the spokesperson, without disclosing the exact numbers.
New measures to regulate PMA use will be implemented by the end of 2025, the LTA spokesperson said.
These measures were accepted by the Ministry of Transport in March 2024, based on recommendations made by a mobility advisory panel.
They include allowing only users with relevant medical certification to use PMAs, and imposing a speed limit of 6kmh for PMAs, down from 10kmh.
People with disabilities and seniors who use subsidised mobility scooters under existing government aid schemes will be exempt from obtaining additional certification to continue using their PMAs.
Other instances of PMA misuse in 2024 involved three riders caught riding non-compliant devices, or riding at faster than 10kmh.
Cases of PMA users caught riding illegally on roads rose to 12 in 2024, up from just four a year earlier.
Under the Active Mobility Act, PMAs are typically wheelchairs, both motorised and non-motorised, and mobility scooters designed to carry an individual who is unable to walk or has walking difficulties.
These are allowed to be on paths meant for pedestrians only, as well as cycling paths, unlike lookalike devices such as motorised personal mobility devices (PMDs) that can be used only on designated shared and cycling paths.
Mobility scooters and some motorised PMDs look similar and can be confused with each other.
The most noticeable difference between PMAs and their lookalikes is the number of seats, with PMAs having just one seat for its mobility-challenged rider.
In comparison, lookalike devices typically have more than one seat for a pillion rider or two. Families of four have been spotted riding the same device.
Apart from e-scooters, PMDs also include hoverboards and motorised skateboards and cannot have a maximum speed higher than 25kmh, according to LTA regulations.
Only e-scooters that are certified to the UL2272 safety standard and registered with the LTA can be used in Singapore. Riders are also required to pass a mandatory theory test before they can use e-scooters on cycling paths.
LTA said errant riders using devices that are not compliant with the UL2272 safety standard and registered face a $10,000 fine or a six-month jail term.
