Four new regulations governing the use of electric scooters will be put to a vote by the government tomorrow, Tuesday, with the primary aim of protecting minors, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport George Kotsiras announced in an interview with SKAI.

As he explained, the changes were introduced after data showed that the highest rates of accidents—and particularly serious accidents—occur among users under the age of 17.

“We are launching an initiative aimed primarily at protecting minors. We prioritized this need because statistics showed that our fellow citizens under the age of 17, in particular, experience higher rates of both accidents and more serious accidents,” he said.

Mr. Kotsiras stressed that protecting human life and physical integrity, especially that of children and adolescents, is an absolute priority for the government.

The Deputy Minister outlined the four main measures being introduced:

• The use of electric scooters by individuals under the age of 17 will be prohibited.
• Mandatory insurance will be introduced for all electric scooters and all users.
• Penalties for violations will be increased, including for riding electric scooters on roads where the speed limit exceeds 50 km/h.
• Companies will be prohibited from selling, renting, or lending electric scooters to individuals under the age of 17.

At the same time, a national registry of electric scooters will be created at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport to make it easier to identify the owner and user of each vehicle.

“We now have a more comprehensive legal framework, particularly for our younger citizens, aimed at protecting their physical safety and sending a clear message that safeguarding human life is an absolute priority,” Mr. Kotsiras said.

He emphasized that these specific provisions are being implemented immediately and separately, without waiting for the broader changes planned for the Highway Code.

“We have other amendments to the Highway Code under consideration, but we have prioritized these provisions concerning electric scooters because we determined that the protection of minors cannot be delayed any longer,” he said.

He added that the government’s goal is for the stricter framework to come into effect this summer.

The Deputy Minister reminded users that the existing basic safety requirements for electric scooters remain in force, including wearing a helmet and the prohibition on using mobile phones or headphones while riding. Mandatory insurance will now be added to these requirements.

“The requirements will be the same for everyone: a helmet, no mobile phones or headphones, an insurance policy, and an age limit where applicable. The fine imposed will depend on these factors,” he stated.

Mr. Kotsiras also placed particular emphasis on the stricter penalties for those who use electric scooters on roads where such use is prohibited, including roads with speed limits above 50 km/h.

Finally, he noted that the new regulations are part of the government’s broader road safety strategy, emphasizing that the combination of stricter penalties and intensified inspections by the Greek Police has already contributed to a reduction in fatal traffic accidents.