New rules pending for scooters  and motorcyclists

DAVID’S  TAKE

Any licensed driver who has  been forced to  brake  while a motorcyclist cuts a corner or weaves, through traffic or a pedestrian who had to jump aside as an unlicensed electric scooter zooms from behind on a side walk will welcome the news that Panama  Transit and Land Transportation Authority (ATTT) is preparing changes to the Traffic Regulations to establish new rules on the use of electric scooters and motorcycles, as the growth of these modes of transportation on public roads continues to  expand along with deaths and injuries.

Among the changes being evaluated is the possibility of requiring a driver’s license for users of electric vehicles, says the director of the ATTT, Nicolás Brea.

The proposal is still under discussion within a working group analyzing the updating of the regulations, so the requirement for a license for electric scooters and motorcycles has not yet been approved but there is no defined date for its implementation.

 While they are at it, the group might want to consider the creation of traffic wardens tasked with issuing tickets to motorists who flagrantly park on corners and block the view of other drivers attempting to turn.

 In other jurisdictions there is a hefty fine for parking within 15 feet of a corner.

Another task for the wardens could be tasked with, is booking out for drivers who park in spaces reserved for the handicapped. The inconsiderate motorists are easily identified because the genuinely handicapped display a certificate in their rearview mirror.