Last year, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) rolled out stringent rules on the safe use of personal mobility devices (PMDs), with many owners of non-compliant vehicles encouraged to scrap them early.

LTA set rules for all importers and users of PMDs. All PMDs must comply with the following criteria for fire and public path safety:

• They must weigh no more than 20kg

• Measure no more than 70cm in width

• Have their speeds capped at 25kmh

• Meet UL2272, a safety standard that lowers the risk of fires

Users were encouraged to buy PMDs from certified importers that ensured the devices they sold met these requirements.

LTA also required all users of electric scooters to register their devices.

From April, a new inspection regime kicked in, requiring registered electric scooters to undergo a mandatory inspection every two years.

One objective is to ensure users do not illegally modify their PMDs, which can harm other road users. Speeding and fire hazards are among the key concerns.

Can such inspections achieve their purpose, though? Or do they merely place extra burdens on users and rack up costs?

Already, all electric scooters brought into Singapore must comply with the standards set by the authorities.

Such inspections serve no purpose because users with illegally modified PMDs can easily adjust their devices to get past the inspections, then revert to their illegal modifications.

Enforcement by LTA, coupled with penalties, is still the most effective path.

With the agency’s regular checks and with the public encouraged to report breaches serving as deterrents, users will hesitate to use illegally modified PMDs.

Why waste state resources on such ineffective inspections that add extra costs?

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