Germany to Require Blinkers and Dual Brakes on All New E-Scooters From 2027
11.06.2026 - 01:32:52 | boerse-global.de
Starting in 2027, all newly registered e-scooters in Germany must be equipped with turn signals and separately operated front and rear brakes. The regulation, confirmed by the R+V Infocenter in a briefing this week, also eases restrictions on sidewalk use — but only under strict conditions.
From 1 March 2027, e-scooters will be permitted to ride on footpaths at walking speed, provided certain criteria are met. Currently, riding on pavements is illegal and a frequent source of conflict. In the Calw district, police in Pforzheim recorded six accidents involving personal injury in 2024, two of them serious, with double occupancy and driving under the influence cited as the main causes.
Minors Face Up to 5,000 Euros in Insurance Recourse
While German law allows electric micro-vehicles to be ridden from age 14, rental companies uniformly set a minimum age of 18 in their terms and conditions. Minors who use an adult's account to rent a scooter are violating those agreements, according to a warning issued today by the R+V Infocenter.
If a self-caused accident occurs, the rental company's liability insurer can demand recourse. The maximum claim is 5,000 euros. On top of that, the minor and the account holder may have to cover repair costs for the damaged scooter and any third-party compensation claims. Coverage for the injured party remains in place, but the insurer reclaims the payouts from those responsible.
Alarming Incident in Mainz; Hamburg Records 91 Double-Riding Cases
In Mainz-Weisenau on Tuesday evening, two girls riding a single rental e-scooter collided with two parked cars. After falling, they fled the scene. Police are investigating hit-and-run and reiterated the prohibition of double occupancy.
Hamburg police released figures from their May checks: out of 3,892 vehicles stopped, officers caught 91 cases of double riding and 43 violations for riding on pavements.
Drunk and Drug-Related Scooter Accidents Surge in 2025
The 2025 accident statistics show a worrying rise in impairment-related crashes. E-scooter accidents involving alcohol jumped 19.2 per cent. Cases linked to drugs increased 19.3 per cent, reaching 130 incidents.
Survey Reveals Parents in the Dark About Home Risks
A survey by the German Insurance Association (GDV) conducted in May 2026 found that only 34 per cent of parents knew that their own home is the most common location for children's accidents. Nationwide, roughly two million children require medical treatment after accidents each year.
Experts recommend practising emergency behaviour as well as installing technical safety devices. Yet just 37 per cent of parents had ever rehearsed an emergency call with their children. The GDV survey did not specifically examine scooter-related awareness, but the R+V Infocenter noted that many families underestimate the financial fallout from unauthorised scooter use by minors.
