Rider education key to e-mobility safety

New research shows people want more rider education and incentives to make e-scooters and e-bikes safer.

Neuron Mobility has launched its new online ScootSafe Academy as a result, an industry-first interactive, digital riding school with city-specific training content that can help to educate riders, and also deliver targeted training modules to those who have broken the rules.

Riders will benefit from access to educational videos, quizzes and games to help improve behaviour, and in turn, improve e-scooter and e-bike safety.

Research reveals 89.9% of people believe rider and pedestrian safety are very important when using an e-scooter.

The national survey, including more than 1000 respondents across four cities with ongoing e-scooter schemes, found there is a strong demand for more to be done to promote e-scooter safety – including more rider education (55%) and incentives to encourage responsible riding (37%).

Neuron’s new ScootSafe Academy platform has been developed in consultation with Brake.

It will be a digital extension of Neuron’s in-person #ScootSafe events, where hundreds of Safety Ambassadors have conducted hundreds of face-to-face safety briefings with Kiwi riders.

ScootSafe Academy will introduce targeted online education aimed at improving the behaviour of riders who have broken the rules.

For example, those temporarily suspended or reported for unsafe riding or bad parking will be sent a warning and also targeted training modules specific to their violation. These include topics ranging from responsible parking, safe conduct and a master quiz to refresh their knowledge on the main dos and don’ts when riding with Neuron.

Riders will be able to access the ScootSafe Academy through the Neuron App or via the company’s website. Those who complete the tasks will receive up to $7 of free credits towards their future rides. The platform will replace Neuron’s in-app Safety Centre, which has helped tens of thousands of riders familiarise themselves with local riding rules.

“Safety is at the heart of everything we do at Neuron, and our new ScootSafe Academy is an exciting new way in which we are using technology to educate our new and existing riders,” says Neuron Mobility ANZ head Richard Hannah.  

“We are always innovating to enhance rider safety, and that includes providing our riders with the very best safety education platform so they know how to use our vehicles in a safe and responsible way.”

Brake NZ director Caroline Perry says the ScootSafe Academy will act as a great digital extension to ScootSafe events and safe riding courses, created in partnership with Brake.

“However, it’s important to stress that it’s still the personal responsibility of each rider to follow the rules.”

Neuron’s bright orange e-scooters makes them more visible and easier to spot, while they are also equipped with a range of safety features, geofencing technology to control where e-scooters can be ridden, parked and how fast they travel in certain areas; and a ‘topple detection’ feature.

Other innovations include an app-controlled helmet lock that secures a helmet to the e-scooter between trips; and a 111 emergency button, voice guidance to educate and warn riders of how to ride safely, and a Follow My Ride function that allows riders to share their trip with friends.