Drunk shared scooter driver caught more often, number of driving bans is rising

ANP

NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 07:38

Sophie Moorland

interior editor

Sophie Moorland

interior editor

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) is increasingly seeing drivers of shared scooters in session who are driving around with too much alcohol. They risk a fine, their driver’s license can be taken away and it can even lead to a prison sentence.

It is not known how often users of shared scooters are punished for driving under the influence. The police do not register the vehicle as driving under the influence. The Central Processing Office of the Public Prosecution Service does not keep track of this either. However, prosecutors say they see it more and more often in court.

According to the Public Prosecution Service, users often do not realize what the consequences can be. “The risks are great, so the penalties are also hefty,” says prosecutor Ivy Obadgbonyi.

“For example, you can think of a fine, community service, but also a driving ban,” says Odaggbonyi. “And that not only affects driving on a scooter, but then you are also not allowed to use the car if you have a driver’s license for it.”

In addition, the driver will have a criminal record that influences obtaining a certificate of good conduct (VOG). This may be necessary for voluntary work, but also for working with children, for example.

Lost driver’s license for a year

Frédérique lost her driver’s license at the end of last year after driving a shared scooter with too much alcohol. “I had to catch the metro, which would leave in three minutes. I decided to take a shared scooter for the short distance to the station,” says the student.

At the station she drove into a police trap. After a breath test it turned out that she had drunk too much alcohol. She was initially banned from driving for four months.

The Central Bureau for Driving Skills Certificates (CBR) then conducted an investigation into exactly how much she had drunk. Based on the results of the 1300-euro examination, the CBR determined that Frédérique is ‘unfit to drive’. Her driver’s license was canceled for a year.

“Fortunately I am not dependent on my driver’s license, but it is a limitation,” says Frédérique. Although she knew that driving a shared scooter with too much alcohol is prohibited, she did not know that the consequences could be so great.

“I had also learned a lot from a fine. My housemates were also really shocked,” said the student. She sees many fellow students in Rotterdam who use shared scooters. Even when they are very drunk. According to her, some of them don’t even have a bicycle.

Half of the cases are shared scooter riders

Traffic lawyer Bert Kabel recognizes the picture outlined by the Public Prosecution Service. “Half of the drink-driving cases that come to my office at the moment, about two to three a week, are people on a shared scooter,” says Kabel: “I hardly ever had scooter riders before.”

They knock on Cable’s door in the hope that he can ensure that the driving ban is revoked. “Many people don’t realize how big the consequences of drunk driving on a shared scooter can be. Their driver’s license is suspended, which means they risk losing their jobs,” says Kabel.

Puzzle, then drive

At the end of last year it became clear that more people were ticketed for driving under the influence in the first ten months of 2022 than in the whole of 2021. The police wrote out more than 36,000 official reports up to and including October. In the whole of 2021, there were 31,600. It is not clear how many of them drove a shared scooter.

The shared scooter companies active in the Netherlands also do not know how often drunk users are arrested by the police. They do not normally receive a report from the police.

Check received 150 reports on 11 million journeys. They may have been done by the police, co-drivers, but also by bystanders. The drivers who have been reported will receive a fine of 500 euros from the company.

Felyx, with shared scooters in more than twenty municipalities, says that if the police make a report, the user will be permanently disconnected from the service. He will also be fined.

The company tries to prevent drivers from getting on a scooter while drunk. On weekends after 10 p.m., before unlocking the scooter, users must complete a puzzle. The puzzle is provided with warnings about the dangers of alcohol in traffic. Drivers are also advised that it is wiser to travel by public transport or taxi if they have consumed alcohol.

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