Over the period of time, Dubai is emerging as one of the most dedicated global partners to contribute towards the building of a sustainable world. It has launched various flagship programs that are likely to promote sustainable development for the well-being of [resent and the future generation. Various departments of the Government such as the Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai are working actively in order to support these efforts.
The department is currently committed to developing a robust mechanism for integrating e-scooters in Dubai. The Roads and Transport Authority is aiming to share the dependence on the e-scooter by the end of 2025.
The use of e-scooters in Dubai has grown all the way from 2020. There has been an exponential increase in the demand for e-scooters with a satisfaction rate of more than 80%. The number of e-scooters available in the market of Dubai has also increased beyond a limit.
Therefore, there is a need to understand more about these e-scooters and the rules according to which they have to be operated according to the law so as to avoid any liability in the future. This article would allow the readers to know more about the rules and regulations governing e-scooters in Dubai.
E-Scooters in Dubai Rental Options
If you are in Dubai and are looking forward to hiring or renting an e-scooter, then there are plenty of options available at your disposal. The Roads and the Transport Authority has defined areas wherein these e-scooters can be taken on rent. In fact, a mobile application for the ease of commuters has also been made.
These mobile applications are developed by the operators such as Tier, Skurtt, and Arnab. They help to detect the nearest location for the e-scooters and accordingly allow the people in Dubai to rent an e-scooter by following certain simple steps.
The people who are willing to rent the e-scooters in Dubai must ideally follow these steps for a successful booking:
- Download the mobile application.
- Turn on the GPS Setting. This will help to locate the nearest e-scooter station.
- Once you reach the e-scooter station, scan the QR code in order to unlock the ride.
- The users can now easily start the ride.
- After reaching the destination, locate the nearest e-scooter stand using the mobile application and park the same after making the payment through the application itself. The average charge for a minute’s ride is around AED 3.
There are three most important operators that allow commuters to rent the e-scooter immediately. These include:
- Arnab Mobility: This operator was launched in 2019 and is the first, to begin, the services of e-scooter rentals in the UAE. It has 1500 operational e-scooters in the town for the time being.
- Skurtt: This is yet another mobility as a service business that is able to offer safe accessible and affordable solutions to all the people who are looking for renting e-scooters in Dubai.
- Tier: It is an international e-scooter provider which was basically launched in January 2020. This is the first climate-neutral micro stability company that offers e-scooters, e-moped, and e-bikes at affordable rentals.
Types Of E-Scooters In Dubai Available For Rent
There are different types of e-scooters available for rent in Dubai for commuters depending on the time and the distance they are willing to travel. Various automobile companies have partnered with the Roads and the Transport Authority in order to provide the best e-scooters to the citizens of Dubai.
Rental Prices And Payment Options
Different operators have different pricing and payment options. For instance, Arnab charges AED 0.6 every minute and a one-time unlocking fee of AED 3. While Skurtt charges AED 0.5 per minute and Tier also maintains similar pricing. Lime is a recently introduced e-scooter operator and it charges around AED 1 for every minute in addition to a one-time unlocking fee of AED 3.
The payment can be made after scanning the QR codes installed at the parking stations. The mode of payment is online for all the operators and no offline mode is accepted for the time being.
Requirements For Renting An E-Scooter
The Dubai Government has issued a plethora of guidelines and rules which must be taken into accord at every point in time before taking any e-scooter on rent. These guidelines have been summarized in the following way:
- According to the policy, all the e-riders require a license for driving the e-scooters if they use the designated streets. However, if the commuters already have a motorcycle license or even an international driving license, then they do not need to have any additional licenses to ride in Dubai.
- If the commuters are availing the license for the first time to ride an e-scooter, then they need to attend an awareness training course. This course will help commuters to ride the e-scooter safely in a hassle-free manner.
- Apart from this, the commuters should have attained the maximum age to ride an-scooter in Dubai which is 16. If the riders are below the age of 12- years, then an adult above the age of 18 must accompany them.
- An e-bike can be allotted to children aged 16 or more.
- The riders must carry their license during the ride.
Rules And Regulations
The riders of e-scooters in Dubai are required to abide by certain rules and regulations. These rules and regulations have been made for the safety of the people on road by the Roads and Transport Authority. The list of these rules and regulations has been given in the following way:
- The maximum limit of the e-scooters is around 20 km/h. This is the limit for the cities. For highways and countryside, this limit has been increased further to 60 km/h.
- It is mandatory for all e-scooters to have the required headlights and working breaks.
- The riders are mandated to use both hands while driving the e-scooters.
- The riders must also wear protective wearables such as helmets, riding shoes, proper gear, and other prescribed wearables.
- Use of mobile phones or wearing headphones while riding is completely prohibited.
- Adherence to traffic rules is compulsory and it is the duty of the riders to observe the traffic rules at all costs.
Importance Of Obeying Traffic Laws And Regulations
These rules and regulations are mandatory to comply with. These laws have been made for the safety of the people on the road so that the number of accidents can be avoided.
These laws and regulations are very necessary for people to comply with because they have been designed according to international standards.
Helmet And Safety Gear Requirements
In addition to the rules which have been mentioned above, Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority should also comply with certain technical and safety gear regulations. These regulations basically include the following:
- E-scooters must be driven by riders who wear helmets.
- The e-scooters must be fitted with adequate safety gears which have been prescribed by the Government and an appropriate braking system.
Parking Regulations For E-Scooters
The e-scooters must be only parked at the designated spot. However, if in case, there is no such designated facility for parking the e-scooters nearby, then the riders must park these e-scooters near the road in a way that does not obstruct the traffic and pedestrians. If in case, any hindrance is caused, then they are booked for a fine of AED 200.
Prohibited Areas And Restricted Zones For E-Scooter Riding
The riders are not licensed to drive on the jogging and walking tracks. In addition, the Dubai Municipality has recently agreed that electric scooters must not be parked in public parks.
Riding Tips And Best Practices
The Roads and the Transport Authority has issued a list of rules for the safety of the drivers and the riders while driving the e-scooters. These guidelines basically include:
- E-scooters must always stick to their designated lanes while driving.
- It is always prescribed for drivers to maintain a minimum safety distance between the vehicles on the road.
- The riders on the e-scooters are strictly prohibited to carry any heavy metals and heavy objects that may cause hindrance on the road.
- It is mandatory for the riders to follow the traffic signals and the road safety signs.
- Riders must be in a position to report all minor and major accidents.
- The riders must not ride the e-scooters in an unsafe way.
- In case, the riders fail to abide by these regulations, then a huge penalty would be attracted. Any instance of repeated violations must also be taken into accord. It may even result in the confiscation of the bike for a period of 30 days and even a temporary ban on riding.
Insurance And Liability
The Roads and the Transport Authority in Dubai have already mandated that every e-scooters In Dubai must be insured either by the owner or the rider for a temporary period. No rider must drive the e-scooters which has not been insured against by the relevant insurance regulator. This insurance is very necessary.
This is because of the simple reason that it protects the assured against damages to property, accidents, and most importantly the liability to the third party that basically arises on account of the injury, death, or damage to property inflicted by the usage of the vehicle on road.
Information On Insurance Coverage For E-Scooter Riders In Dubai
After having discussed the scope of the insurance cover, it is very important to ensure that the scooter’s riders are protected. Therefore, the operators that provide e-scooters on rent are mandated by law to provide information about their insurance to the riders so that the riders can drive only those vehicles which are adequately insured.
If the operator misrepresents or commits fraud, then in such a situation, there is a need to ensure that the facts that have been misrepresented are reported to the adequate authorities and the rider is entitled to demand compensation in this regard for every damage incurred by him due to the misrepresentation of the operator.
Liability And Responsibility Of Riders In Case Of Accidents Or Damages
The most important question of liability is decided according to the rules that have been enumerated by the Roads and Transport Authority.
According to the latest principle, it is very important to ensure that despite riding the insured e-scooter, if the driver is negligent or willfully causes an accident, then he would be liable for damages not only to the injured party but also to the operator whose e-scooter was involved in this accident.
Importance Of Understanding Insurance Policies And Coverage Options
These insurance policies are very important in the automobile market in order to distribute the loss across various stakeholders and ensure that the brunt of the same is not born by only one individual. There are various kinds of policies and coverage options that are available in the market and these options have to be taken care of. The riders and the operators can choose the appropriate plan for them.
Therefore, it can be easily concluded that the three operators of e-scooters have been successful to satisfy the riders of Dubai. they have been able to provide the best option to commute from one place to another at an affordable and sustainable price. In such a situation, there is a need to ensure that the people are further exhorted to take advantage of this mechanism as these e-scooters are turning out to be an effective means of transportation in comparison to the conventional modes of transportation.