Europe Calls For Uniform E-Scooter Safety Standards

Speed, age of rider, and acceleration are among the issues addressed in a new report that calls for the development of a single set of mandatory technical requirements for all e-scooters sold in the European Union “to replace the current patchwork of national requirements, and voluntary standards.”

The report, “Improving the Road Safety of E-scooters,” was released earlier this month by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), a Brussels-based independent non-profit organization, to promote common standards for e-scooter users that can be applied across the European Union.

“E-scooters are now an established and popular way of getting around in urban areas in the EU,” Jenny Carson, co-author of the report, said in a statement. “However, they also come with a degree of risk that needs addressing more effectively than today.”

The report was essential due to the increase in usage of e-scooters, which has led to an increase in road collisions involving e-scooters riders and other road users, like pedestrians, researchers said. Standards should be established soon, they added, as it takes years for new safety technologies and measures to be widely implemented.

The safety standards recommended in the report include: a top speed limit of 20 km/h (12-13 mph), set at the factory; requirements for stability; minimum braking and maximum acceleration; front and rear brakes; an audible warning device (like a bell); front and rear lights; a minimum age of 16 for e-scooter riders; mandatory helmets; and a ban on riding after consuming alcohol or drugs.

While the European Union has some existing product regulations that apply to e-scooters, like rules covering machinery and batteries, there is no mandatory single standard for e-scooters covering factors like stability, maximum speed and braking performance, according to the report. However, several EU member states, including Germany and Spain, have developed their own national standards, and 11 European countries already require a 20 km/h maximum speed for e-scooters within their countries.

Standards are important, the safety group said, as the EU currently has mandatory safety standards for new cars, vans and trucks, which include the fitting of automated emergency braking systems that can help prevent crashes with pedestrians and cyclists, but similar systems are not currently required to recognize e-scooter riders.

Data is limited, but reported e-scooter-related deaths often involve alcohol, researchers said, noting that between half and two-thirds of those killed had consumed alcohol before riding. As a result, measures to address drunk-riding should include legal limits and appropriate levels of enforcement, they said. In Finland and Norway, for example, shared e-scooter providers are required to limit speed at night, or ban shared e-scooters during night hours, which resulted in a reduction in injuries.

Safety issues surrounding e-scooter riders who take passengers and ride on pavement were also addressed in the report.

In addition, lowering speed limits in urban areas is one of the main tools cities can use to reduce the risks for e-scooter users, and have been effective, researchers said. Drivers of cars, vans and trucks traveling at lower speeds are much less likely to kill e-scooter riders, pedestrians and cyclists.

But in order to better understand and reduce the risk of death and serious injury, more crash data on e-scooter usage is needed, researchers said. For example, in some cases, police may not be called to the scene of a collision, so it may not be reported in national data.

“With the right combination of a safer urban traffic environment, safer vehicles and safer rider behaviour, we can ensure that the roads are safer for e-scooter riders as well as cyclists and pedestrians,” Carson added.

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