An event to educate people on the safe use of electric stand-up scooters was held in Tokyo on Saturday, coinciding with the spring traffic safety campaign period.
Following a revision to traffic rules last July, people aged 16 or older are allowed to ride an electric stand-up scooter without a driver's license as long as the vehicle meets certain standards. These include a maximum speed of 20 kilometers per hour and being of a certain size.
As the number of users rises, the number of accidents resulting in casualties and traffic rule violations is also increasing.
A company operating a scooter-sharing service held the event near Shibuya Station on Saturday, the start of the biannual traffic safety campaign period.
Company officials handed out leaflets outlining traffic rules and tips for the safe use of stand-up scooters. The rules include a ban on traveling on sidewalks without switching to a slow-speed mode.
They also tried to remind passers-by that drunk-driving or other traffic rule violations are prohibited for scooter users as well.
One of the officials says that although people tend to have more drinking opportunities at this time of year, drunk-driving is strictly banned for riders of bicycles and stand-up scooters. He stressed the importance of respecting the rules.