Electric scooters, common standards are needed in Europe

Mandatory common technical requirements for all electric scooters sold in the European Union: speed limiter, increased stability, front, rear brakes and minimum braking standards, limits to maximum acceleration, front and rear lights, horn, and regulations capable of increasing traffic safety standards as much as possible: Minimum age of 16 to ride an electric scooter, compulsory helmet, ban on carrying passengers and driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, legal blood alcohol limits, strengthening of roadside checks. This is what the Etsc (European Transport Safety Council, of which the Automobile Club of Italy is a member) is asking – an independent, non-profit organization based in Brussels, committed to reducing the number of deaths and injuries in the road transport sector in Europe – with the Report “Pin Flash Report 47 – Improving the Road Safety of e-scooters”, published today by Etsc.

“Electric scooters – declared Jenny Carson, co-author of the report – are now a well-established and popular means of getting around urban areas in the EU. However, they also carry a degree of risk that needs to be addressed more effectively than is currently the case. With the right combination of a safer urban traffic environment, safer vehicles and safer user behaviour, we can ensure greater safety on the roads for e-scooter riders, cyclists and pedestrians.”

According to the analysis of the national data of the European countries considered in the Etsc report, in 2022, there were 119 deaths in road accidents with electric micro-mobility devices, against 81 in 2021 (+46.91%). In Italy, deaths went from 9 in 2021 to 16 in 2022 (+77.78%), reaching 21 in 2023 (+31.25%). When evaluating numbers and percentages, however, it is essential to take into account the significant increase in the use of these devices.

Regarding speed, Etsc highlights the importance of reducing speed limits to 30 km/h in urban areas, to reduce risks for vulnerable users, such as electric scooter riders, pedestrians and cyclists. Finally, the ETSC asks that those EU safety standards – mandatory for cars, vans and trucks – which can help prevent accidents with pedestrians and cyclists, be updated as soon as possible so as to also recognize drivers of electric scooters. : In fact, it takes years for new technologies to spread to most vehicles on the road.