The Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit (KFV) reports that at least five people have died on e-scooters in Austria in 2026, following six fatalities in 2025. Serious injuries have surged nearly ninefold since 2019, with 10,000 hospitalizations last year.
KFV experts reveal 49 percent of private e-scooters are operated illegally. Many lack indicators, brakes, or reflectors. Furthermore, 83 percent of riders do not wear helmets, while 56 percent are unaware of the 0.5 per mille alcohol limit for the vehicles.
Klaus Robatsch, KFV Head of Traffic Safety, is calling for the maximum design speed to be reduced from 25 km/h to 20 km/h. Current laws allow children as young as nine to ride with a cycling certificate, but safety concerns regarding equipment remain high.