Voi launches safety campaign in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior of Baden Württemberg

At Voi, safety is in our DNA. And not only the safety of our riders, but of pedestrians and other road users too. As an operator of shared micro-mobility, we bear a huge responsibility towards our cities – by providing the safest fleet on the street, by educating our users on traffic rules and responsible road manners, and by collaborating with authorities and research institutes to further enhance road safety through common campaigns. Because we believe that the smartest and safest solutions are born through collaboration between all stakeholders.

This week, we kicked off our latest safety campaign called Ride It Right in Stuttgart, in collaboration with the State Minister of Interior of Baden Württemberg, Thomas Strobl, and the Police President of Stuttgart, Franz Lutz.

Ride It Right is the first safety campaign of its kind in Europe, planned and co-executed by private and public players, with three main goals:

• To increase awareness of traffic rules, as e-scooters are still a fairly young mode of transport in Europe which can cause some uncertainty of how and when to use it in a safe and responsible way
• To improve safe road behavior by catering to each road users responsibility, not only towards their own safety but also towards other road users and pedestrians
• To ensure safe interoperability among different modes of transport, especially in urban areas where many different vehicles and pedestrians must share limited space

How does Ride It Right work?

Starting this week, 7 pictograms in signal colors showcasing different traffic rules and safety recommendations can be found on Voi’s scooters in the cities of Stuttgart and Karlsruhe. These self-explanatory pictograms are placed in a way where they are highly visible to users, right in front of their eyes. In addition, the campaign is flanked by posters, postcards and communication through relevant websites and social media channels. The campaign focuses on people who use rental scooters, but is aimed at everyone who drives e-scooters, even private ones.

Messages included in the campaign:

1. Age limit: You are not allowed to use e-scooters before the age of 14 in Germany, however Voi encourages an 18+ limit
2. Where to ride: In Germany, e-scooters are only allowed on bike lanes or streets, not on pavements
3. No tandem-riding: E-scooters are made to transport one person at a time. Riding more than one person per e-scooter will not only impact your balance, but also the functionality of the brakes
4. No riding under the influence: The same rules apply as when driving a car, riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious offence punishable by law. It is also highly unsafe for yourself and fellow road users, as it can seriously impact your reaction time, balance and overall judgement.
5. No phone: Telephoning without a handsfree device is prohibited on an e-scooter. Voi also encourages riders not to use headsets, as this can prohibit you from hearing your surroundings. Our latest e-scooter – the Voiager 3X – comes with a phone holder that is safe and easy to use for finding your way through the city with navigation apps.
6. Park smart: E-scooters should be parked responsibly, on sidewalks or in parking racks, and in a way that they do not stand in the way for other road users or pedestrians. Responsible parking of e-scooters concerns everyone, and can contribute to the general acceptance of this means of transport.
7. Wear a helmet: While it is not mandatory to wear a helmet in Germany, we strongly recommend it. Being safe is smart, being smart is cool. Be cool – protect your head!