Recommendations on Safety of E-scooters

3 March 2023

European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) and the UK Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) have recommended new safety and technical standards for e-scooters after an increase in deaths and serious injuries.

They include a 20km/h (12.5mph) factory-set speed limit, larger wheels a ban on passengers and pavement riding, compulsory helmets and a minimum age of 16.

E-scooters have become an increasingly common sight on European roads since the launch of the first rental e-scooter schemes in several countries in 2018. In parallel, sales of e-scooters to private buyers have increased dramatically. In 2021, more than 900,000 e-scooters were sold in France, an annual increase of 42%. In the UK, where private e-scooters are currently illegal to use on public roads, total imports by November 2022 were over 1.3 million.

The rise of this novel mode of transport, together with related changes in the so-called micromobility sector, such as high-speed electric bikes, small electric cargo delivery vehicles as well as rarer sights including monowheel vehicles and electric skateboards, present a range of new challenges for policymakers. How these challenges are resolved could have significant impacts on road safety, the environment, urban design and public health in the coming years.

The recommendations, set out in a new report from the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) and the UK Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), are in response to the growth of e-scooter usage and an increase in serious deaths and injuries.