A 39-year-old man has been charged with a string of driving offences after police caught him allegedly riding an electric scooter at 52 km/h on a street in Latrobe this morning.
The Stony Rise man was detected on Gilbert Street and has been charged with disqualified driving, drug driving and using an unregistered vehicle.
He is set to appear in the Devonport Magistrates Court at a later date.
Acting Inspector Martin Parker said riders need to understand that high-powered e-scooters can be treated the same as cars and motorbikes under the law.
“It’s important for people to be aware that if an electric scooter exceeds 25 km/h under its own power, it falls into the definition of a motor vehicle,” he said.
“Subsequently, all of the laws that govern motor vehicles apply to it, including the requirement to be registered and insured, and the driver to hold a light motor vehicle licence.”
“The laws apply to all vehicles which can travel at speed, to ensure the safety of all road users,” he said.
Under Tasmanian rules, e-scooters fall into different categories depending on how fast they can travel under their own power.
A scooter that doesn’t exceed 10 km/h is classed as an electric scooter.
If it can travel faster than 10 km/h but stays under 25 km/h, it is considered a personal mobility device.
Anything that exceeds 25 km/h is treated as a motor vehicle, meaning it must be registered and insured, and the rider must hold a licence.
At 52 km/h, the scooter in this case was travelling at more than double the threshold.
“Police urge all scooter users to be safe, wear a helmet and to be aware of the rules and comply with them,” Parker said.
