Traffic legislation and safety in Europe concerning the moped - Swov

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5.3. Registration plates and documents 5.3.1. Result of the questionnaires Based on these research results SWOV has advised that the speed of mopeds should be the same as the speed of fast traffic. This means that on 30 km/h roads within the built-up-area both the mopeds and vehicles keep to the 30 km/h speed limit, and on 50 km/h roads they both keep to the limit of 50 km/h. In the exceptional situation where mopeds have to use the bicycle path within the built-up-area, the speed limit of 30 km/h must be observed. Based on the information from the questionnaires, we saw that in 6 of the 15 countries investigated, mopeds must be provided with formal registration plates and documents (see Section 2.1 and Table 2.1). Particularly for making the distinction between light and normal mopeds, we can imagine that in countries with both types of moped, the introduction of registration plates is the most popular possibilty. But according to the questionnaire information this is not always the case. After many years, the Dutch government has decided on the implementation of registration plates from 1 September 2005. In Section 5.3.2 the issue is discussed in detail. Recently (April 2003), the implementation of registration plates from 1 January 2004 was decided on in France; their motivation is given in Section 5.3.4. 5.3.2. Problems with the identification of light and normal mopeds (the Netherlands) In the Netherlands, all mopeds presently have to carry Third Party insurance. To be able to check this, the mopeds (light and normal) all have a small insurance plate on the back of the vehicle. The insurance plate does not, however, indicate whether it is a moped or light-moped. On the front mudguard, the difference between a light and a normal moped is indicated: a yellow plate for mopeds and an orange plate for light-mopeds. This is meant to make it possible to determine at a distance which traffic rules apply; each type has different ones. However, since the popularity of the scooter-shaped moped and light-moped, these plates sometimes are removed by the owners, or the yellow plates are replaced by orange ones. This is because no helmet is required on a light-moped. The police find it difficult to establish whether a vehicle is a moped or a light-moped; this is only possible by means of a type approval number which has been stamped 'somewhere' in the frame. The introduction of registration plates and certificate can solve these identification problems. It also makes enforcement easier and police efforts can be more efficient. To determine whether or not a (light-)moped has been tuned up, the police are allowed to confiscate the registration certificate. The owner is then given time to put everything right, after which the registration certificate will be returned. In case of repeated offences, the (light-)moped itself will be confiscated. 36 SWOV publication R-2004-10
5.3.3. Implementation of registration plates (the Netherlands) In the Netherlands there has been a lot of discussion about introducing a registration (number) for mopeds and light-mopeds. There were three main problems which had to be solved: 1. How to deal with stolen mopeds and scooters: should a stolen (light-)moped be 'legalised' by registering it? 2. How to deal with tuned up (light-)mopeds? 3. The costs should remain low because (light-)mopeds are also owned by people with a limited income. Apart from new (light-)mopeds, the existing ones will also need to be provided with a registration number. The original idea was to give the existing (light-)mopeds a safety test in order to solve the tune up problem. Only if a (light-)moped had been approved, it would then get a registration number. However, partly because of the large costs involved, this idea has been abandoned. At present, only a registration check by the moped dealer is necessary 5.3.4. Implementation of registration plates (France) 5.4. Practical test for mopedists 5.4.1. Result of the questionnaires On April 1st 2003, the French government decided to introduce obligatory registration for mopeds and scooters with a cylinder volume of less than 50 cc. This regulation has been implemented from January 1st 2004. It is estimated that, in France, there are about 1 million mopeds and scooters with a cylinder volume of less than 50 cc. The scooters are particularly popular among the young. Partly because of this, there is a large number of severe and fatal crashes with scooters. In 2001 more than 400 scooter riders were killed in French traffic. The introduction will be phased: the licence number obligation applies to newly delivered vehicles as well as all two-wheelers that any time after January 1st 2004 are offered for sale second-hand. Sale of these will only be allowed to take place after the original owners have ensured that they have been registered. The costs of this will be limited to about €5. It is expected that the process of practically all mopeds and scooters being registered will take about 7 years. This means registering some 170,000 vehicles a year. It is also expected that the introduction of the number plate obligation for mopeds and scooters can increase the surveillance of the behaviour of their riders. Additional advantages of this obligation are: increasing and speeding up the chance of finding stolen vehicles, and more possibilities for arresting street thieves (these thefts are often committed from a moving scooter). In Table 2.1 with the results of the questionnaires we saw that 8 of the 15 countries have no practical test for the light-moped; four of these countries do have a practical test for the normal moped. The questionnaire did not ask for the reasons why there is no practical test. In the Netherlands this issue was discussed in 2002 in a national SWOV publication R-2004-10 37
Page 1: Traffic legislation and safety in E
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Page 22 and 23: use his or her vehicle to “docume
Page 24 and 25: from the minimum age, questions wer
Page 26 and 27: Figure 3.1. The influence of the in
Page 28 and 29: drawn that crash involvement of 16
Page 30 and 31: 3. On 1st November 1997, it became
Page 32 and 33: 4. Rates of motorized two-wheelers
Page 34 and 35: Do you have troubles in your countr
Page 36 and 37: Do you have measures to separate mo
Page 40 and 41: 5.4.2. Inexperience of mopedists in
Page 42 and 43: Effectiveness of the measure The di
Page 44 and 45: 4. The Minister of Transport has th
Page 46 and 47: kilometres from school was the same
Page 48 and 49: 6. Analysis and discussion 6.1. Mop
Page 50 and 51: calculated that raising the minimum
Page 52 and 53: Some estimate of use can, of course
Page 54 and 55: 7. Conclusions 7.1. Light mopeds an
Page 56 and 57: problems with tampered mopeds. Most
Page 58 and 59: The low threshold for car drivers I
Page 60 and 61: Noordzij (SWOV), P.C., Forke (IfZ),
Page 63: Appendix 2 Risk values for differen

Traffic legislation and safety in Europe concerning the moped - Swov

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