Electric scooter incidents prompt safety concerns in Helsinki region

This summer has seen a series of electric scooter accidents and near-misses in the Helsinki metropolitan area. A child tragically lost their life while riding a scooter in Vantaa early in the summer, and last week, a collision between scooters in Espoo resulted in another death. The police are currently investigating a reckless scooter incident on Ring I.

In light of these events, we reached out to local authorities to determine if they are considering new restrictions or an outright ban on electric scooters. Cities like Paris and Melbourne have implemented total bans on rental scooters. Three municipalities in the Helsinki region expressed to Yle that they are anticipating legal changes that would provide them with greater control over rental scooters. Cities such as Helsinki and Vantaa feel that they currently have limited options to address traffic rule violations related to scooters.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications plans to introduce legislation addressing scooter accidents, which could include measures like a blood alcohol limit and enhanced authority for officials to intervene in traffic violations. Any potential changes are expected to take effect in 2025.

Helsinki’s head of transport systems, Heikki Palomäki, noted that a weekend ban on rental scooters has proven effective in reducing accidents. While the city is not considering a complete ban on scooters, it seeks to focus on managing their negative impacts.

Vantaa’s planning chief, Markus Holm, highlighted increased discussions around scooter safety this summer and noted significant growth in incidents compared to previous years. He hopes for more regulatory powers to manage scooter usage effectively.

Espoo’s head of urban traffic, Pauliina Kuronen, stated that there have been no discussions regarding a complete ban on electric scooters. Instead, the city aims for legislative changes that would allow better regulation of rental scooters.