Shock as Louth gardaí seize e-scooter from 8-year-old caught travelling at 30kph

An eight-year-old child was stopped by gardaí in Dundalk yesterday after being spotted travelling at speeds of up to 30kph on an e-scooter.

Members of the An Garda Síochána attached to the Dundalk Roads Policing Unit (RPU) were on patrol on Tuesday evening when they observed the young child riding the scooter at what they described as “concerning speed”.

When gardaí intervened and spoke to the rider, they discovered the child was just eight years old. The e-scooter was subsequently seized and the child’s parents were informed.

In a statement on Facebook following the incident, gardaí stressed that while they do not wish to be viewed as “killjoys”, their priority is public safety.

“An e-scooter in a child’s hands can turn a minute of fun into a lifetime of sorrow,” a spokesperson said. 

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“Gardai don't want to be seen as killjoys but we cannot sit back and watch people (especially kids) be put in harm's way.”

Under current regulations, compliant e-scooters may only be used by individuals aged 16 and over. 

Gardai said: “E-scooters that comply with regulations should only be used by persons over 16 and we would encourage users to wear appropriate safety gear and ensure lights are working.”