A Cambridge man has been banned from driving after being caught riding an e-scooter under the influence with two passengers.
On February 9, Cambridgeshire Police were on patrol when they spotted an e-scooter dangerously swerving on Gonville Place. The rider, identified as 20-year-old Sonny McKeag of Sedley Taylor Road, was carrying two pillion passengers. Officers from the Road Policing Unit signaled for him to stop, initially intending to offer words of advice. However, it quickly became evident that McKeag had been drinking.
A roadside breath test revealed a reading of 70 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, twice the legal limit of 35. A subsequent evidential sample taken in custody confirmed a level of 82 microgrammes.
On February 27, McKeag appeared at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court, where he pleaded guilty to drink-driving. As a result, he received a one-year driving ban and a fine of £266.
E-Scooter Laws and Safety Warnings
PC Sam Thomas from the Road Policing Unit emphasized the dangers of McKeag’s actions:
E-scooters are classed as motor vehicles when used on the roads and are subject to the Road Traffic Act. Riding with two passengers while more than twice the drink-drive limit was a recipe for disaster. As a consequence, McKeag is now banned from driving for a year.
Currently, electric scooters are only legal on public roads if they are part of government-approved rental schemes, such as Cambridge’s VOI system. Riders must hold at least a provisional driving licence and be insured. Privately owned e-scooters remain illegal for road use in the UK.
Drink and drug-driving laws apply to e-scooters just as they do to other motor vehicles. Police urge the public to report suspected drink or drug-driving incidents anonymously by calling 0800 032 0845.
