LATEST: Gardaí seize illegal e-scooter in Naas
The teenager was found using a KuKirin G2 e-scooter
Naas Community Gardaí have seized a high-powered electric scooter after stopping a 14-year-old youth riding it at Naas Harbour in Co Kildare.
The teenager was found using a KuKirin G2 e-scooter, which Gardaí said is not legal for use on public roads, cycle lanes or public places in Ireland.
The e-scooter was seized and the child’s parents were contacted. Gardaí said the parents were aware their son had the scooter but believed it was only being used within their housing estate.
Gardaí have issued a warning to parents not to purchase high-powered e-scooters such as the KuKirin G2 for children, highlighting the risks posed to riders, pedestrians and other road users.
The KuKirin G2 has an 800W motor and can reach speeds of up to 45km/h, exceeding the legal limits for e-scooters in Ireland.
To be used legally on public roads, e-scooters must have a maximum motor output of 400W and a maximum design speed of 20km/h.
Under Irish regulations, e-scooters must also weigh no more than 25kg, have wheels of at least 200mm diameter, front and rear lights, reflectors, brakes, a bell and a manufacturer’s plate showing technical details.
E-scooters that do not meet these requirements cannot legally be used in public places.
Legal e-scooters can be used on local, regional and national roads but are not permitted on motorways, footpaths or pedestrianised areas. Riders must be aged 16 or over, and Gardaí can confiscate e-scooters being ridden by people under that age.
Gardaí reminded owners of illegal models to keep them off public roads or dispose of them, warning that any illegally used scooters discovered by officers will be seized.
They also urged people to think before riding, follow the rules of the road and prioritise safety.