A new scheme to tackle e-bike or scooter riders driving under the influence is set for trial in Sweden in a bid to reduce the number of road users operating their vehicles while drunk.
E-scooter user. Image credit: r.classen / Shutterstock
There are currently more than 26 million e-scooter users in Sweden alone and the two firms hope to preempt a rise in casualties associated with their increasing popularity. Image credit: r.classen / Shutterstock
Cab-hailing firm Cabonline has partnered with Tier Mobility to offer taxi rides to scooter users at pubs nationwide with the common goal of increasing road and traffic safety.
Read more: Google & augmented reality will help e-scooter users park
Between 10 pm and 5 am on Thursdays to Sundays, users of Tier scooters or bikes will be asked if they have consumed alcohol. A "yes" answer will refer them to the taxi firm, which will then serve them.
"Together, we want to encourage users to travel more safely and with greater responsibility in the evenings and weekends", said August Svedenstedt, Sweden Country Manager at Tier Mobility.
Cabonline being among the largest taxi providers in the Nordic region should allow for a steady fleet of taxis ready for the job.
"We are delighted to be starting this cooperation with Cabonline", he added.
Thousands of road users operate road vehicles while under the influence of drugs or alcohol every day. While road casualties decreased in Sweden during 2020 as a result of Covid-19, drug and alcohol-related deaths remain a major cause of road fatalities in the country.
Cabonline claims that nearly one-third of young drivers killed on Sweden's roads have alcohol in their systems.
In addition, electric scooters have seen something of a boom in recent years, with the number of users doubling since 2020 to around 26 million in Sweden alone. While casualty rates remain low, being around 0.005% per kilometre travelled, the partners want to preempt a potential rise in figures as the number of users continues to increase.
"The safety of our users, other road users, and the general public is our top priority, and we are constantly striving to develop new ways of contributing to improved road safety", Svedenstedt continued, stating that his company would be "combining [its] experience" in 200 cities and 20 countries across the world.
The partnership is the first step in what the pair hope will be a long and fruitful partnership in which they will attempt to increase overall road safety for their users in other countries as well.
The rise in electric mobility also fits within the parameters of the Swedish government's plans for decarbonisation. The Nordic nation hopes to reduce carbon emissions from all transportation by 2030 in a bid to be net-zero by around 2050.
Read more: Vattenfall to trial wireless EV charging in Sweden
"It is important for us to be able to contribute to reducing alcohol amongst road users and increase traffic safety as a result. We are, therefore, proud to begin this cooperation with TIER Mobility, whereby we are encouraging people to make safe and smart choices", Kalle Boumedienne, the Deputy CEO of Cabonline, said in a statement.
"For us, it is important to be able to contribute to increased mobility and more sustainable travel in the Nordic region and we believe that people being able to make sustainable choices for their travel is crucial for the future", he added.
Back to Homepage
Back to Transportation