Mandatory theory test for e-scooter and e-bike users to start on June 30

SINGAPORE — All e-scooter and electric bicycle riders will have to take a mandatory theory test that will be offered from June 30 before they will be allowed to use their devices, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

The authority said in a Facebook post on Friday (April 30) that the test will be made available online, and it will consist of multiple choice questions. 

To help users learn how to operate their devices safely, LTA said it has already rolled out electronic guidebooks, which are freely available online, for the respective devices.

Aside from providing general information about the devices, the guidebooks also teach users how to do pre-ride checks and the rules of conduct to observe when riding the devices.

The Government first announced in December 2019 that it would be implementing a theory test for e-scooter riders.

The announcement came a month after e-scooters were banned from Singapore’s footpaths on Nov 5 due to a rise in accidents involving pedestrians and e-scooter riders. Currently, e-scooters can be used only on cycling paths. 

Earlier this month, the authorities proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Act to put into law the requirement that users of electric bicycles pass a theory test before riding on the road.

At present, they are required to pass the theory test to ride on cycling paths.

However, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had said then that the changes to the laws will require riders to pass only a single theory test for both path and road usage.  

Consequently, MHA said the amendments would also mean that it is not only illegal for individuals to ride their electric bicycles on the road if they have not passed the test, but for companies to employ anyone to ride such devices on the road if they have yet to pass the test. 

These include food delivery companies that fail to ensure that their riders have passed the theory test before riding their electric bicycles on the roads.

The proposed penalty for either offence is a jail term of up to six months or a maximum fine of S$2,000, or both.