PMD Regulations in Singapore (2019)

Non-compliant PMDs impounded by LTA. Photo from Today Online.

Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) were introduced in Singapore sometime in 2013. By 2019, PMDs have grown in popularity as an alternative mode of transport on the island. These devices came under scrutiny in Parliament as traffic accident rates increased. Over the years, the Singapore government has imposed a series of regulations to curb errant riders, protect the safety of pedestrians and eliminate the fire hazard these devices pose.

List of PMD regulations (as of 2019)

Active Mobility Act (2017 - )

The Active Mobility Act was enacted in Parliament in May 2017. It first legalised the use of bicycles and PMDs on footpaths, cycling paths and shared paths. Since then, the Act has seen multiple revisions. The following is a chronological list of all the major PMD regulations and their corresponding penalties.

Revisions to the Act

Year	Month	Regulations	Penalties	Refs.
2020	July	All PMDs need to comply with the UL2272 certification	Non-UL2272 PMDs will automatically be de-registered on 1 July 2020.
	April	All e-scooters have to undergo a mandatory inspection every 2 years	PMD users who do not send their devices for inspection by the deadline could face: Up to S$1,000 fine and/or Up to 3 months’ jail
2019	December	To ride on cycling paths, all e-scooter users have to: Pass a theory test Be at least 16 years old	As of 4 December 2019, no start date has been announced for the implementation of the regulations.
		Food delivery companies (and other relevant businesses) have to obtain third-party liability insurance for their e-scooter riders
		All active mobility users must not use their mobile phones while riding (unless the phone is mounted or “used in a hands-free manner”)
	November	E-scooters* are banned from footpaths and roads *By first quarter of 2020, other types of PMDs are expected to be banned from footpaths as well.	Offenders could face: Up to S$2,000 fine and/or Up to 3 months' jail E-scooters could be impounded
			PMD users found riding on grass verges could face: Up to S$5,000 fine
			PMD users found riding on drain gratings could face: Up to S$40,000 fine and/or Up to 3 months’ jail
	September	PMDs (as well as bicycles and e-bikes) are banned from void decks and all common areas of housing estates run by the 15 PAP town councils	Offenders could face: Up to S$5,000 fine
	July	It is an offence to ride or allow another person to ride an unregistered e-scooter on public paths	First-time offenders could face: Up to S$2,000 fine and/or Up to 12 months’ jail
		Retailers are not allowed to sell non-UL2272 certified PMDs	First-time offenders could face: Up to S$5,000 fine and/or Up to 3 months’ jail
	February	Cyclists and PMD users cannot go beyond 10km/h on footpaths	Offenders could face: Up to S$1,000 fine and/or Up to 3 months’ jail E-scooters could be seized and forfeited
		Cyclists and PMD users need to stop and look out for vehicles at road crossings and wear helmets when riding
	January	Existing e-scooter users have to register and declare that their devices are compliant with the physical criteria It is an offence to ride on public paths without an Identification Mark or the LTA Registration Mark	First-time offenders could face: Up to S$1,000 fine and/or Up to 3 months’ jail
		Registrants must be at least 16 years old	Offenders who falsely declare their identification could face: Up to S$5,000 fine and/or Up to 12 months’ jail
2018	January	Stiffer fines for PMD users caught riding on local and major roads, including expressways	First-time offenders could face: S$300 fine (riding on local roads) S$500 fine (riding on major roads)
			For riding on expressways, first-time offenders could face: S$2,000 fine and/or Up to 3 months’ jail
			Repeat offenders could face: Up to S$5,000 fine and/or Up to 6 months’ jail
	May	Power Assisted Bicycles (PABs) are not allowed on footpaths E-scooters are not allowed on public roads 15km/h speed limit on footpaths 25km/h speed limit on park connectors and shared paths	First-time offenders could face: Up to S$1,000 fine and/or Up to 3 months' jail
		PMDs must meet the following physical criteria: Maximum weight: 20kg Maximum width: 70cm Maximum speed: 25km/h	Offenders could face: Up to S$3,000 fine and/or Up to 1-year jail Non-compliant devices could be seized and forfeited
		In the case of hit-and-run accidents, users have to stop and help victims	Offenders who fail to help victims could face: Up to S$3,000 fine and/or Up to 1-year jail
		PMD users have to give their particulars to LTA enforcement officers when required	Those who refuse or falsify their particulars could face: Up to S$5,000 fine and/or Up to 1-year jail
		Vendors have to sell compliant and non-modified devices	Offenders could face a fine: Up to S$5,000 fine and/or Up to 3 months’ jail
2017	January	The Active Mobility Act was passed in parliament.	-

Major PMD cases

The following are some of the major cases that contributed to the revisions in the Active Mobility Act.

Bedok PMD fatal accident (2019) & footpath ban

An errant PMD user spotted riding his device on a walkway shelter. Photo from The Straits Times.

In September 2019, a 20-year-old PMD rider was arrested for “causing grievous hurt” after colliding into an elderly cyclist. The victim, Ong Bee Eng, suffered from a serious brain injury and fractures in her ribs and collarbone from the collision. She passed away from her injuries 2 days after the accident.

Her death “is believed to be the first fatality from a collision involving a PMD on a footpath” in Singapore. As a result, the Singapore government imposed a footpath ban on e-scooters effective of 5 November 2019. E-scooters were no longer allowed to be used on roads and footpaths. PMD users are restricted to cycling paths and park connector networks.

Statistics for PMD-related accidents (Tan Tock Seng Hospital & National Trauma Registry)

On 21 October 2019, Channel News Asia released an article detailing a study conducted by Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH). According to TTSH:

“... a total of 213 riders were admitted to TTSH for PMD-related incidents (between January 2017 and September 2019).”

Out of the 213 riders, 6 of them died from the injuries sustained. In 2019 alone, 79 PMD riders were admitted to TTSH, which translates to a 68% increase as compared to 2017.

In 2018, 299 people were treated at hospitals in Singapore for PMD-related accidents. 259 of these were riders and 8 were pedestrians. The National Trauma Registry tabulated that about 63% of the injuries in these accidents were minor, 21% were moderate and 16% were severe. PMD-related accidents over the years contributed to the lowering of the speed limit and the eventual e-scooter ban on footpaths.

E-scooter fires & UL2272 safety certification

In August 2019, an e-scooter caught on fire while it was left charging in a HDB flat. Photo from Channel News Asia.

On 9 February 2018, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) reported that:

“... the number of fires involving e-scooters shot up to 40 in 2017, as compared to just 9 such incidences in 2016...”

Moreover, 81.6% of all PMD-related fires in 2017 specifically involved e-scooters. These incidents prompted the Singapore government to ban non-UL2272 PMDs as studies have shown that they are fire hazards and do not meet safety standards.

LTA announced that by July 2019, retailers are banned from selling non-UL2272 compliant PMDs. Existing users with non-UL2272 compliant devices can continue using their PMDs until the end of 2020. 49 PMD-related fires were reported in the first 6 months of 2019 as compared to the 52 incidents in the whole of 2018. As a result, the deadline for PMDs to comply with the UL2272 safety certification was brought forward to July 2020.

Active Mobility Advisory Panel (2015 - )

The AMAP was set up on 30 July 2015. The panel is chaired by Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim and comprised of 13 other members which included grassroots leaders, representatives from the cycling community, PMD users and people with disabilities. The panel proposes regulations on the use of bicycles and PMDs to the Parliament.

Active Mobility Enforcement Team (2016 - )

To ensure that new rules were enforced, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) launched an enforcement team in May 2016. Together with the Traffic Police, the Active Mobility Enforcement Team conducts joint-enforcement exercises at reported hotspots for reckless riding. These hotspots include shared footpaths at crowded bus stops. Additionally, the National Parks Board (NParks) conducts separate enforcement action in parks and park connectors.

Since May 2018, LTA deployed auxiliary police officers from Certis CISCO to assist the enforcement team in “detecting possible errant behaviours” and “deterring offenders from turning violent and aggressive". However, they do not carry out any enforcement action.