A PMD is not a PAB or PMA, according to LTA — and why it matters
Singaporeans love their abbreviations, but one commonly used one may not mean the same thing to everyone.
To most, PMD means "personal mobility device", a broad term that is often — and loosely — used to describe e-bikes or power-assisted bicycles (PABs) and personal mobility aids (PMAs).
For example, on Dec 28, two teenagers riding what appeared to be a mobility device were hit by a car in Yishun. It was widely reported that they were on a PMD. However, the device looked like it could be an e-bike.
According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), PMDs include kick-scooters, electric scooters, hoverboards, unicycles and motorised luggage — but not PABs, which fall under a separate category.
PMAs, meanwhile, refer to motorised and non-motorised wheelchairs as well as mobility scooters, which are designed to carry individuals who are unable to walk or have walking difficulties.
Why do these distinctions matter?
Because the LTA has different rules for each category, as can be seen in the LTA infographic below.
The rules for PABs differ from those for PMDs, which are further split into motorised and non-motorised devices.
In the case of the accident involving the two teens, if they had indeed been on a PMD, they would not have been allowed on the road. A PAB, however, is permitted on roads.
So if PMD isn't an accurate catch-all term for these devices, what should we call them?
The Government uses the term "active mobility device" or AMD.
The problem, of course, is that almost nobody else does.
We will probably continue using PMD casually to refer to PABs or PMAs, but it helps to be aware of the distinctions under the law.
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