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Portugal is one of the six European countries that does not set a minimum age for riding an electric scooter, according to the European Transport Safety Council, which proposes the adoption of mandatory safety standards in the European Union.
In a report on how to improve the road safety of electric scooters, the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) states that the majority of the 32 European countries analyzed by this entity have set a minimum age to drive an electric scooter, with only the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Portugal, and Sweden not doing so.
The ETSC is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the number of deaths and injuries in transport in Europe, of which the Portuguese Road Prevention is a part.
The ETSC report also notes that only 10 countries require electric scooter drivers to have some form of insurance, with Portugal being one of the countries that do not impose mandatory insurance.
In the document, the European Transport Safety Council proposes the adoption of mandatory safety standards for electric scooters across the European Union, a measure aimed at improving public safety and reducing the number of accidents involving this mode of transport.
According to the ETSC, the new standards should include a mandatory speed limit of 20 kilometers per hour, as well as minimum stability, braking, and acceleration requirements.
ETSC also recommends that EU governments should set a minimum age of 16 for electric scooter drivers and implement mandatory helmet use.
In a statement, the PRP emphasizes the importance of these measures proposed by the ETSC which aim at “the protection of users and the reduction of risky behaviors on public roads,” arguing that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as well as carrying passengers, should be prohibited, as suggested in the report and as already happens in Portugal.
PRP indicates that in Portugal, the use of electric scooters has been increasing, especially in urban areas, becoming more and more common to see them in city centers.
The ETSC report indicates that many accidents only involve the drivers, not coming to the attention of the authorities, which can make data collection difficult and, consequently, understanding the real risks involved.
In this sense, PRP recommends greater articulation between hospital data and police records, as well as their availability to allow better characterization of the problem, analysis, and accident prevention.
The Road Code in Portugal equates electric scooters to bicycles, which means that the traffic rules are the same, for example, it is prohibited to ride on sidewalks, and they must travel on mandatory bicycle lanes.
However, considering the specific characteristics of these vehicles, PRP considered that “it is important to make adjustments to the regulation that increase the safety of users of these vehicles," and the European Union should also “establish a common standard to ensure greater uniformity and effectiveness in safety policies across all countries in the region.”
Portuguese Road Prevention also highlights that the reduction of speed in urban areas, as suggested by ETSC, is “one of the best ways to increase the safety of all road users, namely pedestrians, cyclists, and scooter drivers.”
According to PRP, in several European cities, such as Helsinki and Oslo, the speed limitation on scooters has proven to be effective in reducing accidents.
The data provided in Portugal by the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR) indicate that up to June this year there were 1,583 accidents involving bicycles, which include electric scooters, 2.9% more than in 2023 and 49.2% more than in 2019.
According to ANSR, nine people died in the first half of this year as a result of accidents with bicycles, and 68 were seriously injured, a decrease compared to previous years.