Helmets soon compulsory for scooters and e-bikes over 20km/h

Wearing a helmet will become compulsory for electric bikes and scooters travelling at speeds exceeding 20 km/h from next September, according to a new royal decree from federal mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés).

Crucke wants to improve safety around scooter usage in particular, citing figures that show electric scooters caused the deaths of 13 people in Belgium last year.

Additionally, among those admitted to hospital following an electric scooter accident, 65% suffered head injuries and only 4% of them were wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

But the widespread requirement to wear a helmet is causing concern among shared vehicle operators. In Denmark, for example, such measures are said to have severely damaged the market.

Crucke hopes to avoid a similar scenario in Belgium by working with operators in advance of the legislation.

“We have reached an agreement with these operators, through the Way To Go network organisation, which commits the companies to complying with a number of rules,” Crucke said.

Self-service scooters and bikes across Belgium would be limited to a maximum speed of 20 km/h, which exempts them from the compulsory wearing of helmets.

Shared scooter operator Bolt expressed relief at the helmet exemption.

“In recent internal surveys we conducted among our users, the vast majority of users - about 75% to 80% - said that if there were a requirement to wear a helmet, they would stop using shared mobility services,” said spokesperson Guillaume Burland.

When it comes to privately-owned scooters, a spokesperson for Crucke’s office said helmet laws should be based on the manufacturer’s standards.

“If the manufacturer states in the user manual that the scooter is limited to 20 km/h, the rider will not be required to wear a helmet,” the spokesperson said.

“Above this limit, wearing a helmet will indeed be compulsory.”

Crucke is also calling for European harmonisation on the possible compulsory registration of electric scooters.