In Paris, Increasing Number of Electric Scooter Accidents

Not surprisingly, the enthusiasm for electric scooters is naturally leading to an increase in accidents involving these devices.

According to figures from the police prefecture, the number of accidents involving PMDs increased by 28.3% in 2022. Authorities recorded 408 incidents, compared to 318 the previous year and 294 in 2020. The human toll includes 459 injuries and 3 deaths.

For the record, the category of PMDs (motorized personal transport devices) includes monowheels, hoverboards, and segways. These devices remain quite marginal compared to electric scooters, which are also considered PMDs. It should also be noted that the prefecture makes no distinction between privately used scooters and shared scooters.

Although PMDs are now covered by the traffic code, the rules are quite flexible. For example, wearing a helmet is not mandatory, but just “strongly recommended”. Users are also advised to wear reflective clothing or equipment at night and generally when visibility is poor. Once again, this is only a recommendation. The presence of position lights, reflectors, and a sound signal, however, has been mandatory since July 1, 2020.

Electric Scooters at the Center of Debates in Paris

In the capital, Anne Hidalgo advocates for the end of shared electric scooters. Security concerns—or rather, the lack of safety—are among the arguments cited to justify the ban. The decision will be up to the Parisians, who will vote in a referendum organized on April 2.

Read also: Electric bikes and scooters: easier and cheaper repairs in 2023