When overtaking an electric scooter, are you obliged to keep a distance of no less than one metre?
Show the correct answer
Correct answer
YES
Explanation
In the video you are driving in town along a street with parked cars on the right; ahead of you there is a person on an electric scooter wearing a high-visibility vest. When overtaking this person, you have to keep a distance of not less than one metre. The answer is: yes.
The Road Traffic Act states that a driver must exercise particular caution when overtaking, and in particular keep a safe distance from the vehicle or road user being overtaken, and when overtaking a bicycle, a cycle cart, a moped, a motorcycle, an electric scooter, a personal transport device (UTO), a person moving with a mobility aid or a column of pedestrians, this distance must not be less than 1 m. An electric scooter is listed directly, so one metre is the legal minimum, not a recommendation. This means the lateral clearance measured between your mirror and the scooter rider - the rider stands high, easily loses balance on uneven surfaces and has no protection at all. In the video there are parked cars on the right, so the person on the scooter may swerve to the left at any moment to avoid an opening door; you overtake with a large margin or wait until the road gets wider.
Legal basis: Art. 24 para. 2 of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym)