Micro-mobility safety: New regulations and bans across Europe

Across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, authorities and businesses are implementing stricter regulations and facing rising safety concerns regarding micro-mobility and road traffic.

In Austria, Wiener Neustadt has banned e-scooters from pedestrian zones during the day, allowing them only between 22:00 and 06:00. Vienna is also seeing restrictions on e-scooter transport within public transit, with bans on buses and trams to prevent congestion and tripping hazards. Additionally, officials in Vienna have raised alarms regarding legal loopholes for 10-km/h electric vehicles, which currently lack insurance and licensing requirements.

In Switzerland, major retailers including Starbucks, Migros, and Coop have banned e-scooters from their premises, citing fire risks from lithium-ion batteries and the potential for blocking emergency exits. Germany is also moving toward stricter standards, with new technical requirements for e-scooter brakes, batteries, and mandatory turn signals expected by 2027.

These regulatory shifts follow a series of serious accidents involving motorcycles, e-scooters, and cars across various regions, resulting in multiple injuries and fatalities.