New rules will apply to selected powerful types of electric scooters starting in 2024 – they will have to have mandatory liability insurance, and traditional registration plates are also being considered. According to a survey by the Czech Insurance Association, 63% of Czechs would welcome registration plates for them.
Operators of powerful electric scooters will have to take out compulsory liability insurance for vehicle operations from January 2024. This follows from the European Parliament and Council Motor Directive 2021/2118. The novelty will apply to electric scooters with an electric motor that allows them to exceed 25 kilometers per hour, weigh more than 25 kilograms, and travel faster than 14 km/h.
“We see it as very appropriate to define the obligation on strong electric scooters, whose performance can be likened to small motorcycles,” said Jan Matoušek, Executive Director of the Insurance Association.
The aim is to set rules for compensation in the event of accidents, which can have severe consequences for property and health, with robust electric scooters.
Cheap rides on e-scooters without insurance can become expensive
According to data, the number of all bicycle accidents is relatively stable and around 3,800 cases per year, but in the case of scooters, it has increased tenfold in the last five years.
And while e-accidents account for about 13% of all bicycle accidents, the number of accidents on e-scooters is more than twice that of regular scooters.