Brussels is now home to 4,000 free-floating scooters, but the new vehicles come with their own safety risks.
Rules are already in place to regulate e-scooters. On the sidewalk, they must drive at a walking pace, and they must not exceed 25 km/hr while on streets or cycling paths, according to New Mobility.
Brussels has added additional regulations. E-scooter companies must have specific licenses from the city to operate, the vehicles must be limited to 18 km/hr, and the scooters must be recharged with green energy. The city is also working with municipalities to define areas where scooters are banned.
Police do not have any official data on injuries or deaths resulting from e-scooter accidents, but one rider was killed last April, and two scooter users were in an accident last week that sent one to the hospital.
Secretary of State for Road Safety, Bianca Debaets (CD&V), has called for e-scooter companies to have their users sign agreements of good behavior. Lime, an American scooter operator, already requires its users to do so.
Sam Nelson
The Brussels Times
