Two road accidents involving victims of electric scooter drivers in just two days on the two most touristic islands of the Cyclades have again raised the question of how safe it is after all their use.

The first incident took place on Easter Sunday in Mykonos, on a provincial road. Ornu-city ​​of Mykonos. A car driven by a 22-year-old man collided with Lightweight personal electric vehicledriven by a 42-year-old man who died after the collision.

Literally two days later, in Paros, in the area of ​​Ampela, there was a new traffic accident. There, a 60-year-old car driver stopped a 26-year-old man who was driving an electric scooter. The young skateboarder was taken to the island’s medical center. But in the end he failed to stay alive.

A year earlier, in April 2022, a 36-year-old English woman died on Kythnos. again during the period of Easter and specifically the Great Saturday. In this case, the driver of the electric scooter lost control, which caused him to skid several meters.

The road network of the islands is not suitable for the use of electric skates.

Both mayors of Paros, Marcus Cubanas well as the Mayor of Mykonos, Konstantin Cuckootell K that the use of electric skates on their islands is restricted and the vehicles involved in the accidents they belonged in both cases, to the individuals who used them. In addition, both men who died worked on the aforementioned busy islands and brought electric skates with them to get around easier and faster.

Neither Mykonos nor Paros rent electric skates. Both mayors even underline “K” that their use is not suitable for the road network of specific islands.

“In many parts of Mykonos the roads are narrow. On peripheral roads, especially when there is traffic, there are quite a lot of cars. There are also big ups. That is, in some cases, the above roads are not even suitable for cycling,” he says, “K o k. Cuckoo.

In turn, the mayor of Paros, Mr. Cuban notes that on the heavily touristic island of Paros, few people, mostly elderly people, use electric bikes, and some also use motorcycles. But not electric skates. “In Naoussa and Parikia, you can use an electric scooter, but on the roads of the regional provincial network, the situation is more difficult, especially during periods when there are many vehicles on the island. There are many roads crowdedbut single edition. Electric skates don’t fit there either. Here we aim for strengthen use of a bicycle, and we see that it is not easy. Road infrastructure in the Cyclades, by definition, has certain limitations.. We’re talking about roads that was used a few decades ago donkeys, and then they were called to “lift up“the weight of many vehicles,” concludes Mr. Cuban.

“Electric skates require a lot caution»

OUR Konstantin Kepaptsogluprofessor at the Transportation Engineering Laboratory of the NTUA School of Topographic Engineering and former president of the Union of Transport Professionals, in turn notes that the use of electric scooters requires great care, both on the part of the drivers of the vehicles in question, and from the rest, those who move near them and close to him.

“Where the ‘geometric’ elements of the road network, as we call them, are poor, which is mainly the case in the rural network, the use of skates requires increased attention. However, the avenue also needs a lot of attention. citywhere lighting is limited. Responsibility is in both side- and those who lead them, but also those who move alongside them. The speed they develop small- at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour, but the drivers of these vehicles are actually very vulnerable.”

It is noted that the rules governing mode electric skates were adopted in Greece in March 2021 and included in the bill of the Ministry of Transport (Government Gazette A 40/16.3.2021).

As defined by this law, E.P.H.O. they are prohibited from driving on the road if they develop a speed of more than 25 km/time. A driver’s license is not required to use them, but the driver, must have an identity card with you, happening what they ask him. Their movement is also prohibited on roads where high speeds develop (over 50 km / h). km/time). It is also recommended that their drivers wear an approved type of crash helmet, usually zippered.

In our country, electric skates have become widespread in 2018, starting from Athens. In the first months of their use, we saw teenagers in the center of the capital skating in dangerous ways or at high speeds on major roads such as Panepistimiou or Vassilissis Sofias, as well as on pedestrian streets such as Ermou, causing discomfort to pedestrians. According to Mr. Kepaptsoglu, their “freak” of driving has gradually decreased, however, in many regions of Greece, electric skateboarders are increasingly appearing.