Accidents with E-Scooters: Researchers Call for Larger Wheels and Driver's License Requirement - Germany Tightens E-Scooter Rules to Curb Accidents
The German federal government is set to introduce tougher regulations for e-scooters to tackle the rising number of accidents. Key changes include mandatory turn signals, enhanced safety standards, and increased fines. These measures aim to simplify usage rules and make e-scooters safer.
Starting in 2027, all new e-scooters must be equipped with optical and acoustic turn signals, a move that will significantly enhance the signal app feature. Larger or three-wheeled vehicles will need two independent brakes and must pass a wet braking test. Battery requirements will also be improved. These changes follow a study by the Technical University of Berlin, which analysed police accident reports and emergency room data.
The study found that nearly half of serious accidents and fatalities occurred without further involvement, often due to obstacles like curbs. Accident researcher Siegfried Brockmann suggests increasing the wheel size of new e-scooters to at least ten inches to reduce accidents. In 2024, police registered around 12,000 e-scooter accidents, a 27% increase from the previous year. Stricter police controls and consequences for driving under the influence are recommended due to the high number of alcohol-related accidents.
The federal cabinet has decided to tighten e-scooter rules, with mandatory turn signals by 2027 and increased warning fines for certain offenses. These changes aim to reduce accidents and simplify usage rules. The government hopes that these measures will make e-scooters safer and more enjoyable to use.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
