In light of the rising number of accidents involving e-scooters, accident researchers have called for mandatory driver's licenses and larger wheels for the scooters. It is incomprehensible that users do not have to demonstrate knowledge of traffic regulations, the Björn Steiger Foundation said on Friday in Münster. At a minimum, a moped test certificate or moped license is necessary. This would be accompanied by an increase in the age limit to 15 years.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, the police recorded almost 12,000 accidents involving e-scooters in which people were injured last year. That was about 27 percent more than in the previous year. Almost half of the accidents involving serious injuries and fatalities occurred without any other parties involved, with obstacles such as curbs being “a major cause of accidents,” the foundation explained.
Accident researcher Siegfried Brockmann believes that enlarging the wheels is key to reducing such accidents. With the usual eight-inch wheels, “the slightest inattention leads to serious falls.” For new vehicles, the wheel size should therefore be increased to at least ten inches as soon as possible. The study is based on an evaluation of police accident reports, patients treated in the emergency room of the Berlin Accident Hospital for e-scooter accidents between 2019 and 2024, and simulations conducted by the Technical University of Berlin.
In view of the many accidents involving alcohol, accident researchers are calling for increased police checks and consequences for driving while intoxicated. However, the study does not see sufficient reasons for making helmets compulsory. According to the study, only a few of the head injuries examined were serious. The vast majority also affected areas such as the teeth, where bicycle helmets do not offer effective protection.
On Wednesday, the German cabinet approved stricter rules for e-scooters. According to these rules, newly registered e-scooters will be required to be equipped with turn signals starting in 2027. The fine for riding on sidewalks will be brought into line with that for cyclists, rising from €15 to €25. The fine for riding with several people will also be increased to €25. The Federal Council still has to deal with the amendment.
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