Police officers ride electric scooters and learn traffic rules and other scooter-related matters in Hino, Shiga Prefecture.
16:10 JST, July 13, 2024
OTSU — Shiga Prefectural Police have distributed an electric scooter to each of the prefecture’s 12 police stations.
As this type of scooter is becoming increasingly popular as a new means of transport, the aim of the measure is to increase awareness of this vehicle among police officers who enforce the laws regulating the use of this vehicle.
On May 24, training sessions were held in the large conference room of a mobile police unit and at the driving technique training field in Hino City, Prefecture. About 30 police officers from all police stations participated.
Police officers from the Prefectural Police’s Traffic Planning and Traffic Guidance Department instructed participants on basic road traffic rules, such as the area where scooters are allowed to drive and the requirement to wear helmets.
In addition, they learned that electric kick scooters with a maximum speed of 20 km/h or faster require a driver’s license to drive. They also experienced the use of a turn signal and other functions by actually riding the scooters.
“It was a little bit difficult to keep my balance at low speeds,” said one officer. “My line of sight was also often getting worse, so I felt like I had to be more careful.”
A prefectural police officer in charge of the training said: “We expect the use of electric scooters to increase in the future, so we want to encourage people to learn the correct traffic rules and use the vehicles safely.”
