After several fatal accidents, Italy wants to be stricter on e-scooters. Transport Minister Matteo Salvini plans to make helmets compulsory. E-scooters must also be provided with license plates in the future. “E-scooters even race up to 70 km/h. It needs rules on the streets and sidewalks,” the transport minister said in a radio interview.
At the same time, Salvini wants to campaign for road safety in schools, he told RTL 102.5 on Tuesday. The number of e-scooters has increased significantly during the pandemic in Italy. Many have avoided public transport, where strict rules must be followed, and therefore rely on this form of mobility. Lately there have been repeated accidents with the electric companions.
New fine system
E-scooter operator Helbiz wants to prevent users in Rome from parking their scooters in inappropriate places and has introduced a new fine system: violations of the traffic rules and the terms of use can lead to fines of up to 30 euros. Anyone using e-scooters must then send a photo to the operator as proof that the scooter is properly parked.
Since January, the city of Rome has reduced the licenses for companies offering these vehicles from seven to three. The number of e-scooters in the city was reduced from 14,500 to 9,000. 3000 of them operate in the city center.
Vienna has already responded to the flow of scooters
The number of e-scooters has also gotten out of hand in this country in recent years, especially in Vienna. To end the chaos caused by improperly parked scooters, the federal capital has announced new rules, bans and penalties that will be implemented during the year.
Stricter rules already apply to providers of e-scooters in Paris. Mayor Anne Hidalgo, given the numerous accidents and violations of the rules, wants the companions to leave the French capital completely. A public consultation is scheduled for April.
Source: Krone
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