Lisbon, Nov. 13, 2024 (Lusa) - Portugal is one of six European countries that does not set a minimum age for riding an electric scooter, according to the European Transport Safety Council, which is proposing the adoption of mandatory safety standards in the European Union.
In a report on how to improve road safety for electric scooters, the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) indicates that the majority of the 32 European countries it analysed set a minimum age for riding an electric scooter, with only Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Portugal and Sweden not doing so.
The ETSC is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to reducing the number of deaths and injuries in transport in Europe, of which Prevenção Rodoviária Portuguesa - PRP (Portuguese Road Accident Prevention) is a member.
The ETSC report also reveals that only 10 countries require e-scooter drivers to have some kind of insurance, with Portugal being one of the countries that does not impose compulsory insurance.
In the document, the European Transport Safety Council proposes the adoption of mandatory safety standards for electric scooters throughout the European Union, a measure aimed at improving safety on public roads and reducing the number of accidents involving this means of transport.
According to the ETSC, the new standards should include a mandatory speed limit of 20 kilometres per hour, as well as minimum stability, braking and acceleration requirements.
The ETSC also recommends that EU governments establish a minimum age of 16 for riders of electric scooters and make it compulsory to wear a helmet.
In a statement, PRP stresses the importance of these measures proposed by the ETSC, which aim to "protect users and reduce risky behaviour on public roads", arguing that riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as well as carrying passengers, should be banned, as suggested in the report and as is already the case in Portugal.
PRP points out that in Portugal, the use of electric scooters has been growing, especially in urban areas, and it is increasingly common to see them in city centres.
The ETSC report indicates that many accidents involve only the riders and do not come to the attention of the authorities, which can make it difficult to collect data and therefore understand the real risks involved.
In this sense, PRP recommends that hospital data and police records be better linked and made available to improve the characterisation of the problem and the analysis and prevention of accidents.
The Portuguese Highway Code equates electric scooters with bicycles, which means that the rules of the road are the same, for example it is forbidden to ride on pavements and they must ride in the mandatory bicycle lanes.
However, taking into account the specific characteristics of these vehicles, the PRP considered that "it is important to make adjustments to the regulations 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 in all countries in the region".
The PRP also emphasises that reducing speed in urban areas, as suggested by the 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, speed limits on scooters have proven to be effective in reducing accidents.
Data made available in Portugal by the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR) indicates that until June this year there were 1,583 accidents involving cyclists, which includes 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 involving cyclists and 68 were seriously injured, a decrease on previous years.
The Portuguese Road Accident Prevention, also known as PRP, is a Portuguese non-profit association with the aim of preventing road accidents and their consequences.
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