Italian cities enforce new electric scooter safety rules

A new national road code, effective 16 July, classifies most electric scooters as ciclomotors and requires a plastic registration plate, mandatory civil‑liability insurance and a certified helmet for riders aged 14 and over. Speed is limited to 20 km/h on roads, 6 km/h in pedestrian zones, and the devices are prohibited on highways and sidewalks.

Municipalities such as Mantova, Biella, Modena and Cremona have begun police checks, issuing fines of €100‑€400 and seizing vehicles that lack plates or insurance. Local officials are also targeting modified electric bikes (“fat‑bikes”) that exceed 250 W or operate without pedals, saying the measures protect cyclists and pedestrians as the number of unregulated devices rises.