How Safe Are Luxembourg's Streets in the Age of E-Scooters?

As e-scooters become an increasingly common sight on Luxembourg's streets, questions about safety, regulation and enforcement continue to grow, particularly for parents who share public spaces with often fast-moving and sometimes reckless riders.

As the father of two young children, I increasingly find myself paying attention not only to traffic on Luxembourg's roads, but also to what is happening on its pavements and cycle paths. On numerous occasions, I have seen teenagers and young adults speed past pedestrians on e-scooters at what appeared to be well above the legal limit, often without helmets and sometimes with two people riding the same vehicle.

I have even witnessed police officers confiscating e-scooters following apparent breaches of the rules. While such interventions remain relatively rare, they suggest that enforcement is needed because violations are taking place. The issue is not that e-scooters exist; they have become a practical and environmentally friendly form of transport for many people. The problem is that a minority of users seem willing to ignore the rules designed to protect both themselves and others.

Luxembourg is far from the worst example. Compared with what I currently observe in Ukraine, where fatal e-scooter accidents involving children and teenagers appear in the news and on social media with alarming frequency, the situation in the Grand Duchy remains relatively controlled. Nevertheless, those tragic stories serve as a reminder of how quickly a convenient means of transport can become a source of serious injury or worse when speed, inexperience and inadequate supervision collide.

What Luxembourg's Rules Actually Say

Watching such incidents unfold abroad inevitably raises questions at home. How safe are Luxembourg's streets for pedestrians, cyclists and young riders? Are the existing rules sufficient? And perhaps most importantly, are they being enforced consistently enough to prevent today's near misses from becoming tomorrow's tragedies?

The reality is that Luxembourg's authorities are not ignoring the issue. E-scooters are classified as "micro electric vehicles" under the Highway Code and are already subject to a relatively detailed set of rules. Among the key requirements highlighted by the Grand Ducal Police are:

- minimum rider age: thirteen;
- only e-scooters with a maximum design speed of 25 km/h are permitted on public roads;
- one rider per vehicle only;
- mandatory use of cycle paths where available;
- use on roads permitted only where the speed limit does not exceed 50 km/h;
- functioning lights, reflectors and a warning device required;
- drink-driving legislation applies to e-scooter riders;
- modified e-scooters capable of exceeding the legal speed limit are not road legal.

The Grand Ducal Police regularly remind the public that accidents involving e-scooters continue to occur and that officers frequently detect vehicles capable of exceeding the authorised speed limit. According to the police, such behaviour endangers not only riders themselves but also pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

On paper, therefore, Luxembourg's framework is neither vague nor particularly permissive. The rules exist, the limits are clearly defined and the penalties are available. The real question is whether the current level of enforcement is sufficient to keep pace with the growing popularity of e-scooters, particularly among younger riders.

A Familiar Pattern in Police Reports

Over the past three months alone, the Grand Ducal Police have repeatedly reported incidents involving e-scooters across the country. What is striking is not only the number of cases, but also how similar many of them appear to be.

In early April, a teenager sustained life-threatening injuries after two young people lost control of an e-scooter near Haller. Investigators later found that the vehicle's maximum speed significantly exceeded the legal limit. Later that month, police in Luxembourg City dealt with another accident involving two men riding the same e-scooter, which was also found to be capable of travelling well beyond the authorised speed.

The pattern continued in May and June. In Pétange, an injured e-scooter rider tested positive for drugs following a collision with a delivery van, while police also determined that the scooter exceeded legal speed limits. In Dudelange, an intoxicated rider refused both hospital treatment and an alcohol test. Days later, a police officer was injured in Pétange while attempting to stop an e-scooter rider who had fled a police check in neighbouring Belgium; a subsequent drug test returned positive for cannabis.

Taken together, these incidents reveal recurring themes: excessive speed, modified vehicles, alcohol or drug use, multiple riders on a single scooter and, in some cases, a willingness to ignore police instructions altogether. The question is not whether e-scooters can be dangerous, but why so many of the incidents reported by police involve breaches of rules that are already well known and relatively straightforward to understand.

How Other Countries Have Responded

Luxembourg is far from alone in facing these challenges. Across Europe and beyond, authorities have spent recent years tightening rules around e-scooter use in response to safety concerns.

Perhaps the most striking example came from Paris. In 2023, following a public consultation organised by the city authorities, residents voted to remove shared e-scooter rental services from the French capital. City officials cited accident rates, dangerous riding behaviour and conflicts with pedestrians among the reasons behind the decision.

Germany has taken a different route. E-scooters require compulsory insurance and must display a valid insurance sticker before they can be used on public roads. In Belgium, riders must generally be at least sixteen years old and are prohibited from riding on pavements except at walking speed.

The Netherlands remains one of Europe's strictest countries, allowing only approved e-scooter models onto public roads.

Outside Europe, Singapore has adopted some of the toughest regulations. The Land Transport Authority has introduced mandatory registration, strict technical standards and significant penalties for illegal modifications or dangerous riding. Authorities have also carried out regular enforcement campaigns targeting speeding and the unlawful use of e-scooters on pedestrian paths.

Different countries have chosen different solutions, yet a common theme emerges: where e-scooters have become popular, governments have increasingly responded with stricter regulation, stronger enforcement, or both.

The Issue Is Not the Technology

The debate, however, should not be about banning e-scooters. They offer clear advantages: they are environmentally friendly, practical for short journeys and can help reduce reliance on cars.

Many of the incidents reported by police in recent months have involved behaviour rather than technology itself: excessive speed, multiple riders on a single scooter, alcohol or drug use, modified vehicles or disregard for traffic rules. The same e-scooter that provides a convenient mobility solution can quickly become a danger when used irresponsibly.

Luxembourg already has rules governing e-scooter use, but the recurring nature of police reports suggests there may still be room for greater public awareness and targeted enforcement. As e-scooters become a more visible part of everyday mobility, the challenge will be ensuring that convenience does not come at the expense of pedestrians, cyclists or the riders themselves.