Latest news with #trafficlaws
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: Residents concerned over children riding e-scooters on roads as accidents increase
The number of electric bikes and e-scooters being recklessly operated by unlicensed teenagers is on the rise, according to concerned UAE residents. Whether riding alone or in groups, these minors are seen navigating busy roads and traffic lanes with little to no experience, often ignoring traffic laws and without any parental supervision. With e-scooters already popular, electric bikes have now emerged as the latest trend among Generation Alpha. According to parents interviewed by Khaleej Times, many children are requesting these bikes as gifts as soon as they reach their teenage years, claiming that 'everyone their age' already has one. Residents have voiced serious concerns about children riding these bikes on public roads, particularly in residential neighborhoods. Many young riders display reckless behaviour that not only endangers themselves but also poses a distraction to drivers. Authorities in Dubai have warned that parents could face legal consequences if their children violate safety regulations. As part of its 'Crime and Lesson' series, the Dubai Public Prosecution highlighted a case involving a 13-year-old girl who was injured while crossing the road on her e-scooter. It was later revealed that her father had gifted her the scooter as a reward for good academic performance. The parents were subsequently referred to court for negligence and endangering a child's life. Fatal consequences In 2024, Dubai recorded 254 e-scooter and bicycle-related accidents, resulting in 10 fatalities and 259 injuries, 17 of which were serious. The issue has become even more pressing in 2025, with two e-scooter-related deaths occurring within just three days in February - both involving minors aged 15 and 9. Dubai enforces strict regulations on e-scooter and e-bike use, including a minimum rider age of 16. In April, authorities launched a dedicated Personal Mobility Monitoring Unit to oversee violations involving cyclists and e-scooter users. The initiative aims to enhance traffic safety and ensure compliance with established safety protocols. 'Irresponsible behaviour' Abdulrahman Mubarak, a 29-year-old resident of Al Barsha, expressed his concern: 'Even though I'm not a father, it hurts to see children riding these bikes in the streets without any supervision.' He shared that during his afternoon runs, he often sees groups of children aged 11 to 13 riding multiple electric bikes, sometimes on sandy trails, other times on the road. 'I've seen two or even three children riding on a single bike,' he said. 'What shocked me the most was the excessive weight on one bike. They ended up falling, but thankfully, it was on sand, not the road, so no one got hurt.' Abdulrahman urged parents to monitor their children closely and not to give in to demands without fully understanding the risks involved. Sabta Hassan recalled a frightening incident when a teenage biker suddenly began performing a wheelie directly in front of her car on a main road. 'I had to slam on the brakes because my children were with me in the car. It was a hazardous situation,' she said. She added that such reckless behaviour puts not only the riders but also others at serious risk, noting that many of these teenagers enter the streets without paying attention to traffic or using designated area.. She urged parents not to give in to their children's requests to buy such bikes, 'These bikes don't guarantee their safety; in fact, they could be the reason they get hurt or hurt someone else,' she added. She also called on the authorities to conduct more inspections in residential neighborhoods and take action to limit the possession of these bikes, helping to ensure the community's safety. Rules and Regulations Many residents are calling on parents to take greater responsibility by supervising their children and enforcing rules around the use of electric bikes. Operating such vehicles at a young age is not only unsafe—it's illegal. The growing trend is seen by many as a consequence of parental neglect, putting young lives at risk and disrupting community safety. Current regulations require riders to: Authorities routinely seize hundreds of e-scooters and bicycles each month for violations such as riding in prohibited areas, including roads and pedestrian walkways.
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Top Gear producer banned from driving
A Top Gear producer has been banned from driving after exceeding a 20mph limit by 4mph. Andy Wilman, the show's 'fourth member', was banned for six months after he was handed his fourth speeding conviction in three years. The 62-year-old helped reboot the long-running TV show in 2002 and later launched The Grand Tour with stars Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. He was caught driving his grey Porsche Macan at 4mph above the speed limit on The Avenue running through Clapham Common in south London on Dec 23, 2024. It is the fourth time Wilman has been convicted of breaking the speed limit and he was disqualified for six months after accumulating 12 points on his licence. Wilman is now working on Clarkson's Farm series in the Cotswolds. Addressing Lavender Hill magistrates court, Sarah Will, prosecuting, said: 'The very simple facts are that on Dec 23 at 9.08am a speed camera was triggered by a Porsche Macan on the A205 road, on The Avenue near Windmill Drive. 'This road was subject to a 20mph speed limit – the speed camera was triggered by the vehicle doing 24mph.' His earlier offences – which each earned him three penalty points – happened on Jan 5, 2022, Sept 5, 2023 and Sept 29, 2024, the court heard. Wilman, from Wandsworth, admitted exceeding a 20mph speed limit. Magistrate John Tomkins said: 'We have heard facts from the prosecutor – because you've pleaded guilty to this offence a further three points has been added to your licence. 'As a starting point the magistrates will have to disqualify you from driving for a minimum of six months.' Asked whether he wanted to provide evidence of 'exceptional hardship' as a means to contest his disqualification Wilman replied: 'No I couldn't claim that. I accept things as they are. 20mph is a tough one, but you must have heard that many times – but yes, it is as it is, I have nothing to query or challenge.' After confirming his yearly income was £443,000 after tax, Wilman was ordered to pay £1,042 in total, including a £666 fine, £266 surcharge and costs of £110. The former Grand Tour executive thanked magistrates before leaving court.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Mandatory driver's education to expand under new Washington law
The Brief House Bill 1878 expands mandatory driver's education to drivers up to 21 years old by 2030, and introduces safe driving courses for young drivers with traffic tickets. The law aims to reduce high crash rates among young drivers by offering vouchers for driving school costs, online courses, and accommodating training hardships. Concerns about online instruction quality persist, with suggestions for partnerships with commercial driving schools to address public school program challenges. OLYMPIA, Wash. - Young drivers will eventually have to get more traffic safety education under legislation signed into law this month. House Bill 1878, which got Gov. Ferguson's approval on May 17, annually expands mandatory driver's education to drivers up to 21-years-old by 2030, starting with 18-year-olds in 2027. Right now, only 16 and 17-year-olds have to take driver's ed before getting their first license. The bill also requires safe driving courses for young drivers who accumulate traffic tickets. And starting in 2031, drivers under 21 will be required to take a traffic safety "refresher course" to retain their license. What they're saying Prime sponsor, Rep. Brandy Donaghy, D-Mill Creek, said the sweeping legislation helps move the needle when it comes to safe streets. "Our goal here is to make sure that our roadways are as safe as possible for everybody on them," she said in an interview Wednesday. "If you know what the rules are, and you know the ways you can deal with icy roads or low-visibility conditions, you're automatically going to be in a better position when you face those on the roads." Mark McKechnie, External Relations Director for the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, said young drivers are disproportionately involved in serious or deadly crashes. A state report found that while people aged 15 to 24 make up just 10.6% of drivers, they were involved in crashes that resulted in 26% of all fatalities and 29% of all serious injuries between 2020 and 2022. "For 18 to 25-year-olds who had not taken driver education, they had more than a 60% higher rate of crash involvement," McKechnie said. While driver's ed makes someone less likely to get in a crash, he said, young people do not go because it is either too expensive, or it is not available in their area. To make driving school more accessible, the law also creates a voucher program to help with costs, allows online driving courses, and lets students do most of their behind-the-wheel training in one day if they have hardships like living far away. "Rather than force them to travel one to two hours to be able to get to somebody for 30- to 60-minute sessions, we did want to provide an opportunity for them to at least have a chance to get that time in without it being more of a burden," Donaghy said. The other side "I'm a history major, I teach [English language arts], I teach a whole myriad of different subjects. But in a way, there's nothing that I've taught that is more important than driver education," said Alex Hansen, President of the Washington Traffic Safety Education Association. The public school teacher, driving instructor and teacher of other instructors said he applauds lawmakers for trying to tackle a big challenge – but believes the bill does not get up to speed. He expressed concern about the quality of instruction through online means and allowing students to accomplish a majority of behind-the-wheel instruction in one day, calling the changes "educationally unsound." Hansen said he ultimately believes supporting traffic safety education in public schools is the best way to promote safety. "Public schools are designed to address and teach all kids," he said. "Kids who have access to a driver education program in the local high school where they already attend, they're gonna take it. But only 20 schools in the state of Washington currently still offer it – when almost every school back in the 90s when I taught it offered it, and almost everybody took it." Donaghy said there are many factors that complicate bringing driver's ed back to schools, like staffing shortages, liability and cost. Though she said partnerships with commercial driving schools could go a long way. What's next In a statement, a Department of Licensing spokesperson said the agency will be working closely with the education association, traffic safety commission and other partners to successfully implement the bill, which is "expected to significantly enhance road safety and modernize driver education in Washington, impacting all road users." While the legislation expands mandatory driver training to 21, Donaghy said the goal is to ultimately expand it to age 25. Albert James is a television reporter covering state government as part of the Murrow News Fellowship program – a collaborative effort between news outlets statewide and Washington State University. The Source Information in this story comes from original reporting by Murrow News Fellow Albert James. A religious group is set to protest outside Seattle City Hall. Here's why Crews battle Second Creek Fire near Leavenworth, WA 2 injured in separate Seattle shootings Teen, child killed in Lacey, WA mobile home fire Dave's Hot Chicken to open 4 new locations in Seattle area. Here's where To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Japan Times
7 days ago
- General
- Japan Times
Kyoto police deploy bicycle squad to crack down on reckless riding
In Kyoto's narrow, historic streets, police have turned to bicycles to tackle dangerous behavior by cyclists and e-scooter riders. The Kyoto Prefectural Police's bicycle patrol unit — known as the Be-Unit — was launched in April last year under the traffic police force and has proven to be agile and effective. In its first year, the 11-member team issued over 1,000 citations, and this spring, officers debuted high-visibility yellow uniforms to enhance their presence. 'Instructing violators face-to-face is key to reducing traffic accidents,' said one official, noting that the team's mobility gives them an edge over traditional patrol cars and motorcycles. Kyoto's urban layout — structured like a grid with many narrow, one-way streets — makes it difficult to chase down offenders in larger vehicles. The compact and nimble Be-Unit was conceived to address this challenge, enabling officers to patrol effectively and interact directly with violators at eye level. During its first year, the unit issued 912 citations to cyclists for offenses such as ignoring traffic signals and failing to stop at intersections. E-scooter riders were cited 128 times for similar violations. With the rise in foreign tourists using rental bikes to explore the city's landmarks, the unit introduced new uniforms modeled after European police apparel, featuring fluorescent yellow accents for visibility. Officers also began distributing English-language leaflets outlining Japanese traffic laws at major sightseeing locations. 'The top priority is making sure residents fully understand traffic rules,' said Naoki Ishihara, the squad's leader. 'We also want to raise awareness among tourists and focus on education and guidance before resorting to enforcement.' Translated by The Japan Times
Fox News
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
The Quiz #418 - The Need For Speed
The first speeding ticket in the United States was issued in 1899 for what speed? Find out with The Quiz. Play. Share. Listen with Kelly Clarkson's Musical Director, Jason Halbert.
