A Nepalese national succumbed to her injuries last night after being hit by a car in central Limassol on February 10th, while riding her electric scooter.
26 year old Lakpadoma Sherpa was being treated at a private clinic following the collision on Nikos Pattichis avenue.
She was driving her e-scooter around eight in the evening, when under unidentified circumstances, currently under investigation by the Limassol traffic precinct, she was hit by a 52 year old woman.
Sherpa was thrown onto the road and suffered critical injuries. She was subsequently rushed to the private clinic where she was immediately placed on a ventilator.
The young woman passed away this morning.
E-scooter regulations bogged down in parliament
The latest tragic death of an electric scooter user in yet another accident is once again highlighting the debate on the complete lack of regulation and the failure to implement existing, seemingly inadequate legislation.
The rapid rise in scooters, combined with the fact that there is still no decision over what kind of vehicle it really is, has created a black hole in their circulation, endangering both users, as well as pedestrians and other drivers.
Despite their urban popularity, both the lack of effective control as well as the fact that users themselves are not really aware of the legislation, creates accident potholes such as users on high speed avenues, traffic sign violations, not wearing helmets or carrying a second passenger.
Amendments to relevant legislation are currently bogged down in parliament and diametrically opposed at that. The first one is an outright ban and the second calls for a register, license plases and insurance policies.
According to existing laws, electric scooters are only allowed on roads with a maximum speed limit of thirty kilometres. They can also move on bicycle paths. Squares or pedestrian walkway use requires a municipal council decision.