Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or first-time user, you should know the most important electric e-scooter rules and put safety first, always. In this electric scooter safety guide you’ll learn some fundamental safety rules.

Rule #1. Don’t drink and drive

The number-1 Bolt e-scooter rule is just like for any vehicle: don’t drink and drive.

Using an e-scooter under the influence of alcohol or other substances is illegal and strictly prohibited. Doing so will result in a fine and your account being permanently blocked from Bolt services.

If you can’t resist a celebratory drink after a long day at work, we recommend getting a bus or ordering a taxi instead. Let a driver get you home safe and sound while you sit back and relax.

Rule #2. 1 scooter, 1 user

Scooting with another person on the same e-scooter is strictly prohibited by Bolt’s General Riding Rules.

To ensure safety for all, we introduced the industry-first tandem riding prevention feature that detects when 2 people try riding 1 scooter. The feature sends a notification to users to warn them of the dangers of tandem riding.

Repeated detection of tandem riding could result in loss of access to our services.

3-step disciplinary approach

We know that education goes a long way in correcting reckless riding behaviour. Thus, an iterative 3-step disciplinary approach is in place.

If a user makes at least 5 Bolt scooter rides, we’ll evaluate their scooting behaviour to ensure their trips are safe for all. If, during their 5 trips, a user falls short of responsible scooter usage, we’ll take action according to our 3-strike policy:

In-app educational materials explaining what scooting habits should be improved.
If a user doesn’t improve their habits during the 5 subsequent rides after receiving educational materials, their maximum scooter speed is limited to 15 km/h.*
If behaviours remain unsafe for the 5 rides following step 2, we’ll suspend the rider from using Bolt scooters for 1 week, with an option to dispute the decision through Customer Support.

Read more about our reckless rider score feature and 3-step disciplinary approach in this blog post.

Rule #3. Obey traffic lights and follow traffic rules

Traffic lights exist for more than just cars. There are also traffic lights for light vehicles, such as e-scooters and bicycles, and pedestrians. So when a traffic light turns red, you must come to a complete stop!

Traffic lights aren’t the only tools that regulate traffic. There are traffic signs, pedestrian crossings and markings, and more. And as with traffic lights, you should follow all street signs while using e-scooters.

And above all, please respect your fellow commuters while moving around the city — we’re in this together!

Rule #4. Where possible, use a road/cycle path

Just as cars have road lanes, scooters have cycle lanes. Riding in a cycle lane’s safer and prevents danger to others.

Local regulations prohibit riding on pavements, so please use the designated cycle lanes or where there are none available, use regular road lanes.

It’s important to always follow local regulations to ensure everyone stays safe.

Now that we’ve covered electric scooter rules regarding the law and traffic, the exciting part begins — scooting! If it’s your first time scooting, go over the ABCs of safe scooting before taking a ride.

Rule #5. Pre-flight scooter check

Before pushing the throttle, it’s essential to do a quick safety check before each ride. Here are the basics:

Tyres — check they’re not flat;
Brakes — make sure they’re working correctly and aren’t loose;
Battery — see if there’s enough charge to cover your trip;
Throttle — check it responds properly and that you can accelerate;
Scooter — confirm it’s in good overall condition and doesn’t produce strange sounds when you ride.

Rule #6. Practice before your first ride

Practice makes perfect, they say. And they’re right! If this is your first time scooting, find an empty car park or flat surface and practice scooting with these tips in mind:

Accelerate with care

Gently kick off from the ground to start moving and accelerate gradually so you have full control of the scooter.

Beginner mode will also be in place for at least your first 3 trips, which will limit your maximum scooter speed to 15 km/h.

Brake gently

Make sure to brake gently, braking gradually is important to avoid skidding or losing control.

Remember, be smooth!

Use the bell to communicate

If you need to pass another road user, give them a little ring with your bell to let them know you’re approaching.

This way, they’ll know when to move out of the way.

Keep both hands on the handlebars

Dual handles aren’t just for aesthetics — engineers had a specific purpose when designing scooters with 2 handles.

It only takes a pothole or reckless driver to create an obstacle you can’t handle with only 1 hand on the controls.

So, think of the handlebars as part of your scooter safety gear and always use both!

Rule #7. Wear a helmet

Scooter safety gear and, most importantly, a helmet is like a superhero’s cape — it makes you feel invincible. But unlike a cape, helmets protect you from head injuries in the event of a fall.

Our scooter safety statistics from 2022 show that 99.997% of Bolt scooter rides ended safely without incident. But regardless of how vigilant you are, accidents can happen.

And if they do, a helmet’s the only thing standing between your head and the ground. So please follow Bolt scooter rule #7, and whenever possible, wear a helmet!

Rule #8. Be mindful of your surroundings

This unspoken electric scooter rule isn’t just about following the law — it’s about being considerate of your surroundings.

Keep in mind that cities typically have 3 designated areas, each with its own rules:

Slow zones. These are typically high-traffic areas with many pedestrians. We limit your scooter’s maximum speed to ensure everyone can safely share the space.
No-go zones. The adventurer in you might be tempted to take a scooter off the beaten path, but there are areas where riding a scooter is prohibited at all times for your safety.
Parking areas. Comply with local rules and ensure you end your journey in a designated parking spot, all of which can be found in the app and are marked at the location.

Across Ireland, we’ve had over 99% compliance with these parking rules. We want our users to be considerate of others around them, keep their community tidy and ensure that your scooter or bike trip doesn’t cause problems for other road users.

Rule #9. Master the art of parking

We touched on it above, but parking’s a topic that deserves its own section.

Parking a scooter correctly — and in an appropriate location — ensures your and others’ safety. If parked incorrectly, a scooter may be a hazard to others and can block important access routes.

Let’s go over the dos and don’ts of parking.

Do:

Use designated parking zones, bike racks — the Bolt app map shows where you can park;
Lower the kickstand fully to ensure the scooter’s stable and can’t fall over;
Leave the scooter in a convenient spot for the next user;
Park on a flat surface to ensure your safety and that of the next rider;
Pick up scooters that have tipped over and park them properly.

Don’t:

Block pathways — this creates obstacles for pedestrians and can present dangers for those with mobility difficulties;
Trespass on private property;
Park at bus stops — unless there is a designated parking location, while scooters may form part of the wider city transport network, that shouldn’t mean blocking access to public transport;
Leave the scooter tipped over, as it’ll be a tripping hazard.

Rule #10. Be a responsible e-scooter user

We’ve come to the end of the article, but not the end of the journey. You now have what it takes to contribute to our safe, responsible e-scooter community. Congrats!

And if you notice any unsafe behaviour while you’re out and about, please report it to us.

Keep up the good work, and see you out there!

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