Gardaí discover 4 year old driving e-scooter

E-scooters and e-bikes being driven by children as young as four years old have been seized by gardaí in Cork city.

Gardaí in Mayfield, Glanmire, and Gurranabraher carried out covert operations in communities in the northside recently and seized a number of vehicles being driven by children.

Gardaí in Mayfield and Glanmire seized three e-scooters and one e-bike.

The e-bike seized was being ridden by a four year old child, while two of the e-scooters were being operated by nine year old children. The other e-scooter seized was carrying two passengers.

Gardaí at Gurranabraher Garda Station also seized one e-scooter being driven by a 14 year old, which, when tested, was found to be capable of reaching a speed of 87km/h.

A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána said: “At these speeds, the potential for serious injury or loss of life is significant, particularly where young people are involved. We are appealing to parents and guardians to carefully consider the risks before allowing children to use powered vehicles.

“High-powered e-scooters and scramblers are not toys and are not suitable for use by children. Parents and guardians should also be aware that allowing children to use these vehicles can place them and other road users at serious risk,” they said.

The seizures come as regulations are to come before cabinet recommending that the minimum age at which an e-scooter can be operated be raised to 18.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio One last week, an Tánaiste Simon Harris said that there needs to be an attitude change among parents.

“There should be no parent in Ireland thinking that an e-scooter is a toy,” he said.

Licences, insurance requirements, and mandatory helmets and hi-vis are also to be recommended.

Since June this year, an average of two children a day have been admitted to Temple Street Children’s Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with serious brain injuries following e-scooter crashes according to figures released by Children’s Health Ireland (CHI).