Croatia reports surge in electric scooter crashes, calls for stricter safety measures

In the first seven months of this year, Croatian authorities recorded 384 traffic accidents involving personal transport means, including electric scooters, up from 360 in the same period last year. The incidents resulted in 216 lightly injured persons and 92 serious injuries, and a 14‑year‑old boy died after falling from a scooter in Metković. The Ministry of the Interior urged greater parental responsibility and increased police supervision, reminding that riders must be at least 14, wear helmets, limit speed to 25 km/h and motor power to 0.6 kW, and use reflective gear at night.

Croatian rally champion and TV presenter Juraj Šebalj highlighted the growing danger on his YouTube channel, citing recent crashes and technical flaws such as small wheels that make scooters unstable on uneven surfaces. He stressed that user behaviour is the main risk, urging compliance with existing regulations, use of quality helmets, avoidance of headphones, and respect for speed limiters. Šebalj called on parents to keep scooters away from children under 14 and for authorities to enforce the rules more rigorously.