Electric scooter riders in Paris face fines if they do not wear helmets and high-visibility vests on public roads, as police act to reduce crashes. The safety measures aim to curb what authorities call a worrying increase in serious and fatal accidents in the French capital.
Riders who fail to wear an approved helmet face fines of 135 euros. Riding without a high-visibility vest or reflective elements carries a 35 euro fine. The rules also apply to users of electric unicycles and hoverboards. Helmets and high-visibility vests are already mandatory in several other French regions, the BBC reported.
Scooter accident statistics and injuries
At least 79 people died in electric scooter accidents last year, up from 45 victims the previous year. Total deaths and injuries from these electric vehicles multiplied last year compared to 2024. About 1,100 people were injured last year, marking a 33% increase compared to 2024.
The rise in casualties occurred despite Paris banning rental electric scooters in 2023 over safety concerns, while continuing to permit private scooter use.
Private ownership and local regulations
Private ownership of electric scooters in France is the highest in Europe, according to the European Union. About 2.5 million people in the country owned an electric scooter in 2023, with hundreds of thousands more purchased since. Many of these vehicles are estimated to be in Paris, though exact figures are not kept.
Existing rules in Paris ban anyone under 14 years old from riding electric scooters. Carrying passengers is prohibited, and speed is capped at 25 km/h.
Paris was among the first cities to adopt electric scooters, but growing concerns about dangerous driving and sidewalk obstruction led to the rental ban. In a citywide referendum, 90% of voters favored banning rental scooters, although turnout did not exceed 8% of eligible voters.
