New Traffic Rules: Helmets Mandatory for Scooters and Rollerblades, Increased Fines for Speeding

From tomorrow, electric scooter riders must adhere to new traffic rules, and they must always wear a helmet while riding, and their vehicle must be registered and homologated.

The reason for this is, as we have already reported in Lider, the long-awaited new Traffic Safety Act which regulates the riding of scooters, monocycles, segways, and similar means of transport with an electric motor weaker than 0.6 kW, which are now defined as personal transport vehicles. Thus, all vehicles that cannot reach a speed greater than 25 km/h on a flat road and do not have seats fall into this category.

In addition to electric scooters, according to this Act, all riders of scooters, rollerblades, and skates must also wear helmets, and those who do not comply with this regulation will face a fine of 300 kuna. The same rule applies to bicycle riders under the age of 16, and a fine of the same amount will also be imposed on electric scooter riders and cyclists who ride with headphones.

Furthermore, all personal transport vehicle riders must wear a reflective vest, cycling clothing, or some other reflective marking at night. The same applies during the day if visibility is reduced.

While until now electric scooter riders could ride wherever they pleased, from tomorrow they will only be allowed to move in the bicycle lane, and they can only use the pedestrian path if there is no bicycle lane, while they can ride on the roadway only if there are no other options.

A new provision of this Act is the obligation for all doctors conducting driver examinations to mandatory warn them about potential incapacity to drive if they determine it. However, such a ban cannot last longer than six months, and doctors are required to document such warnings.

The fine for inappropriate speed has also been increased from 500 to 1000 kuna, in order to deter drivers from speeding.