A 21-year-old man was killed Wednesday morning when the electric scooter he was riding collided with a car at Bjorlandsringen in the municipality of Hå in Rogaland, southwestern Norway. Police in some cities now want to ban the scooters from the streets, but they’re not welcome on sidewalks either.
Details about the early morning fatal accident were sketchy, until police could establish how it occurred. State broadcaster NRK reported that they were first called to the scene at 5:18am. Police seized the driver’s license of another 21-year-old man who was driving the car that hit the scooter and launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.
Public debate continues over use of the el-scooters that are popular among users but plague pedestrians and irritate motorists. Several Norwegian cities including Oslo have cracked down on their use, and forbidden them from sidewalks.
That’s forced them out on the streets, where police fear more accidents. New national rules loom this spring, limiting their use to those over age 12 and with helmets for everyone under 15. They’ll now be classified as a motorized vehicle, no longer as a bicycle, forcing them off sidewalks nationwide. Debate is likely to continue.
newsinenglish.no staff
