In the days when there is a lot of talk about electric and safety scooters and when Regions and Municipalities are moving to adopt a regulatory plan capable of regulating their circulation (pending a national one that applies to everyone), even the operators of services in sharing launch initiatives aimed at making the use of now ubiquitous means safer and used above all by younger people.
Helbiz, the company founded by the Italian Salvatore Palella who has also been listed on the stock exchange for a few weeks, has for example decided to change the way its scooters are used for first-time riders. The initiative is therefore reserved for beginners – this is also the name of the driving mode – and provides that the first three races take place at a reduced speed of 15km / h, with physical control of the parking by a Helbiz employee who will verify that the vehicle is been parked correctly and in the right place. This mode joins the digital one already adopted, which crosses the geolocation data with the photo of the parking lot made by the user to proceed with the blocking of the vehicle after its use.
The “Beginner” mode will be set for everyone automatically on each scooter, and can be removed manually by users (except for those who are in their first use). The “Beginner” initiative, explains Helbiz, joins the national road civic education campaign that starts in September dedicated to micro-mobility and promoted in schools, with the aim of giving young people information, tools and rules on the correct use of among the younger generations.
According to an American study by Austin Public Health, in collaboration with the Austin Department of Transportation, about 30% of accidents occur during the first ride, i.e. the first time the scooter is used, and 63% during the first races, for a total figure that brings the accident rate to 93% in the first few times of use of the scooter.
In recent weeks in Italy the debate on the safety of scooters has been ignited in the light of some tragic fatal accidents that took place between Rome, Sesto San Giovanni and Florence. Helbiz, also in light of the controversies raised primarily by the administrators – who are clamoring for more regulation – wanted to clarify not only that the vehicles are equipped with insurance, but also that “sharing scooters are constantly monitored, they are not in any tamper-evident, they are ensured and the speeds are pre-established and cannot be altered. Particularly different is the discourse related to private scooters, of which the owner is the total manager of the vehicle, effectively preventing control by third parties. “.
