Two 13-year-old girls died in a tragic accident in Imanta on 1 October. Following the incident, the Mayor of Rīga has initiated a discussion with the authorities on stricter control of electric mopeds, Latvian Radio reports on 2 October.
On Wednesday, 1 October, a tragic accident occurred at the Imanta railway station in Rīga – two 13-year-old girls lost their lives when their rented electric moped collided with a train at a level crossing.
The Emergency Medical Service (NMPD) reported that even before paramedics arrived, one of the girls had already died at the scene. Three medical teams tried to save the other victim, but the injuries were too severe.
State Police spokesperson Līna Bagdone points out that the vehicle the girls were travelling on is classified as a bicycle. Section 24(4) of the Road Traffic Law states that a person aged 10 to 17 is allowed to participate in road traffic on a bicycle independently.
However, for the electric moped in question, the company itself has already set the rental age at 18 years only.
“At the moment the State Police have opened criminal proceedings and are investigating the circumstances of the accident. During the investigation, we will also clarify what profile the girls used to rent the vehicle,” Bagdone said.
Oskars Irbītis, a road safety expert, also points out that no matter what colour or brand the vehicles are, only adults are currently allowed to contract for their use. However, teenagers are often seen using these vehicles on the streets, which means that adults are sharing their users’ information, for which they should be held responsible. The expert believes that the police should significantly step up their age control on the streets too.
The rented small red moped-like vehicle is therefore owned by the e-bike-sharing operator Ride Mobility, whose CEO Edgars Jākobsons told LETA news agency that they are looking for technical and legal solutions to prevent minors from using parents’ or other people’s data. This includes considering the possibility of linking documents or payment cards to an account.
Meanwhile, Rīga Mayor Viesturs Kleinbergs (Progressives) said on social media that the tragedy was preventable and that stricter controls and restrictions on electric mopeds were urgently needed in the capital. In his opinion, municipalities should be given the choice to decide for themselves whether to ban these mopeds from pavements.
On Thursday, the municipality also plans to discuss the situation with the relevant authorities.
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