Dutch Stint not safe for use on roads

According to Dutch research institute TNO, the safety level of the Stint is not sufficient for passenger and freight transport. A study conducted by TNO presents risks for the safety of the driver and passengers of the Stint.

On the basis of the results of this study, Dutch Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen sees no other option than to stop the Stint in the current form on the road. Minister van Nieuwenhuizen understands that this decision has annoying consequences for the users of the Stint, such as the childcare sector but also urban freight transport (like E-bakkie and PostNL); safety first. For a possible return of a Stint on the road, the Minister wants to provide clarity on the admission requirements for this type of vehicle as soon as possible.

Admission requirements
Because this requires a careful and clear framework that can be applied to different types of innovative vehicles, each with their own characteristics, this will take some time. But these new requirements come as soon as possible, the expectation is in February 2019 at the latest.

TNO concludes in its report, among other things, that there are problems with the brakes and the length of the Stint braking distance and that uncontrollable acceleration occurs when the zero throttle releases from the throttle. The preliminary advice from RDW and the Stichting Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Verkeersveiligheid (SWOV), which came out last week, also provides concrete guidelines for additional adjustments that should also take place. This concerns technical requirements and conditions for supervision and safe use.

Manufacturers who want to enter the market with a new special moped and who report to the ministry for admission are taken into account in the developments surrounding the new requirements. This way they can immediately include these requirements in their design. This also applies to a possible new Stint.The possibility of mandatory organization of driver training is also taken into account.

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