Road Safety Institute: Tips for Using Scooters

The rapid proliferation of e-scooters and other Light Electric Personal Vehicles (LEPVs) is transforming urban mobility across Greece, presenting both opportunities and serious concerns for road safety. Ta Nea highlights the alarming trend of accidents involving young users, a situation mirrored across the European Union where fatalities have risen sharply. The data is stark: 61 deaths in 2021 climbed to 92 in 2022, with the vast majority resulting from collisions with larger vehicles.

Greek law, through the Highway Code, does outline specific regulations for LEPVs, including speed limits (25 km/h), age restrictions (15+), prohibitions on sidewalk use, and requirements for lighting and reflective elements. Helmet use is strongly recommended. However, as the Institute of Road Safety (I.O.AS.) 'Panos Mylonas' points out, establishing rules is insufficient without fostering genuine traffic awareness and responsible behavior among users.

This is where the work of I.O.AS. becomes critical. They are developing targeted interventions to integrate micro-mobility safely into our streets. Their initiatives include specialized informational videos and print materials offering clear guidance on safe and correct LEPV usage. These resources emphasize the importance of helmets, appropriate gear, avoiding distractions, not carrying passengers, and strictly adhering to traffic laws. From a Greek perspective, this proactive educational approach is vital, as simply having laws on paper does not guarantee safety on our increasingly complex urban roads, especially when vulnerable users like young e-scooter riders are involved.