More than 550 scooter accidents recorded in Portugal in the last 5 years
More than 550 scooter accidents recorded in Portugal in the last 5 years
The data revealed by the PSP point to more than 440 injuries and 13 graves. The number was higher in 2021.
Scooters are everywhere, driving licenses are not required for structures and they can circulate on public roads complying with traffic rules. The Public Security Police (PSP) presented a report that reveals that work in Portugal over 550 accidents with these vehicles in the last five years.
Of this total (555) there were 441 minor injuries and 13 graves. The numbers have been rising since 2018, with the exception of the year 200 in which there are more have20 in circulation due to Covid-19.
And since the beginning of this year, 88 accidents have been recorded. PSP data refer to 29 in 2018; 169 in 2019; 97 in 2020; and 290 in 2021, the highest number in this report.
Rosa Pita, vice-president of Portuguese Road Prevention, explained to Lusa, quoted here by CNN Portugalthat these numbers don’t seem like reality.mMost accidents that do not happen to other vehicles end up not being reported to the PSP.
“[As trotinetes] do not use your contract or safe use the possible risks resulting from its public use, its conduct does not require authorization of the resulting contractsl, but drivers are subject to traffic rules, which implies that they have to know the road code”, explained the Ministry of Internal Administration in response to Lusa.
They can only circulate on streets and cycle paths, not on sidewalks — as is often the case. Inspection must still be carried out by the National Road Safety Authority, PSP, GNR and municipal councils.
In Lisbon there are more than 11 thousand scooters and shared bicycles, for example. The municipality explained that it is looking for solutions to “better regulate the activity and have a regulation in place as much as possible.”