France implements helmet mandates for electric scooter users

New safety regulations in France have mandated the use of helmets and retro-reflective equipment for users of personal motorized transport devices, including electric scooters, hoverboards, and monowheels. In Paris and its immediate suburbs, such as Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne, and Hauts-de-Seine, police have begun conducting checks. While initial efforts have focused on prevention, failure to wear a helmet can result in a 135 euro fine, and missing high-visibility gear carries a 35 euro fine.

The Paris Police Prefecture noted that personal motorized transport users are the only road user category seeing an increase in bodily injury accidents, with 136 recorded since the start of the year.

In Dijon, Mayor Nathalie Koenders has expressed support for expanding these requirements into a national mandate that would include both cyclists and scooter users to ensure uniform protection across the country. However, the association Evad (Ensemble à vélo) has voiced strong opposition, labeling the potential expansion to cyclists as “counter-productive.” This debate follows data from the National Interministerial Observatory for Road Safety (ONISR) showing a significant rise in fatalities among electric scooter users and cyclists in France.