At present, the rules vary considerably from one Member State to another. In Belgium and Luxembourg, electric scooters are widely permitted on public roads, with a maximum speed of 25km/h. In the Netherlands, however, only certain scooters that have obtained specific type-approval may be ridden legally. Requirements regarding minimum age, insurance, safety equipment and inspection procedures also vary from country to country. Belgium, which saw a dramatic rise in the number of accidents last year (666, an increase of 24%) and was involved in 25 incidents, has decided to revoke the licences of mobility operators from next January.
For the Benelux governments, this fragmentation is an obstacle to the development of a European micromobility market. Manufacturers, distributors and shared-fleet operators have to navigate a patchwork of national regulations, some of which are contradictory.
Mobility that is no longer a niche phenomenon
The call comes at a time when electric scooters have become established in many European cities as a solution for short journeys and the ‘last kilometre’. However, their rapid growth has been accompanied by a rise in accidents.
According to a report published in November 2024 by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), 119 people were killed in 2022 in accidents involving motorised micromobility devices, a category comprising mainly electric scooters. This figure stood at 81 a year earlier. The number of people seriously injured reached 5,867 in 2022. The organisation points out, however, that these figures are likely to be an underestimate. Many accidents do not involve any other vehicles and are never recorded in standard road traffic statistics.
The studies cited by the ETSC also show that e-scooter users are at greater risk of accidents than cyclists. A study carried out in Oslo concluded that the risk of being involved in an accident was up to ten times higher for an electric scooter user than for a cyclist, relative to the distance travelled. A British analysis, for its part, estimated this risk to be around three times that of cycling.
Contrary to the image often associated with collisions involving cars, a large proportion of accidents involve cyclists falling on their own. Defects in the road surface, kerbs, uneven road surfaces and loss of control of the vehicle are among the most common causes.
Head injuries and facial injuries are among the most common injuries observed in victims.
Towards common rules?
In light of this situation, the ETSC is also calling for harmonisation across Europe. In particular, the organisation recommends a maximum speed of 20km/h, a minimum age of 16, compulsory helmet use and the adoption of common technical standards concerning braking, lighting, stability and devices to prevent vehicles from being unbraked.
The European Commission is already working on a study focusing on the harmonisation of the rules governing ‘personal mobility devices’. The Benelux countries’ joint position could speed up the debate.
For behind the issue of scooters lies a broader question: that of the role Europe wishes to assign to micromobility in its cities, whilst minimising the risks to riders and other users of public spaces.
