Dozens of electric scooters and mopeds seized by Gardai for breaking speed limit
by Owen Conlon · Irish MirrorGardaí have seized dozens of electric mopeds and scooters which could exceed the maximum new speed limit – just weeks after The Irish Mirror revealed how easy it is for users to flout the law.
The 33 e-mopeds and eight e-scooters were recovered over a number of days this week across the Dublin area. Most were impounded because they broke the new 20kph speed limit introduced in May.
As well as the speed limit, there are strict requirements around braking and lighting. The regulations also prohibit the use of an e-scooter by more than one person at the same time, while under 16s are banned from using them in public areas and they must not be fitted with a seat.
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Gardaí said: “We recently seized 33 e-mopeds and eight e-scooters in Dublin for a range of offences under the recently revised Road Traffic and Roads Act, 2023. While e-scooters and e-mopeds are now a common choice for commuters, it is important that those that are used are well regulated and safe. Always ensure that your choice of transport complies with the law, so all road users including yourself are safe.”
The Garda crackdown comes after an Irish Mirror investigation showed some stores selling the vehicles are telling customers how safety features can be altered to double speeds. Some also claimed there is little to no enforcement by Gardaí while also outlining what to do if stopped.
One sales rep told our undercover reporter that 90 per cent of customers who have purchased electric scooters from the store have requested the speed limiter be removed. That prompted Minister of State at the Department of Transport James Lawless to tell the Irish Mirror: “It is completely illegal to chip e-scooters.
“The regulations we have introduced include sanctions for either chipping a scooter or using one that has been modified. E-scooters, when used correctly in a regulated environment, are a great solution for urban commuters to get from A to B in a safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly way.”
Since e-scooters became legal, three teenagers using them have been killed. While there is no suggestion any safety features or speeds were altered in those tragic incidents, the deaths highlighted the vulnerability of scooter users on the roads.
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