Thanks to rising fuel prices and difficulties in moving around or parking in town, electric scooters are in demand. Our French neighbours ought about 900,000 electric scooters in 2021. This means of transport is particularly popular for short journeys, very often for travel to and from work. With this increase in use, there are also a growing number of accidents.
There are several types of small vehicle for short journeys. The most common are:
- Scooters, whether electric or not;
- Mono-wheels or gyro-wheels: these have a large single wheel with foot-rests on either side;
- Hover-boards or gyro-skates: these small platforms have two wheels and are controlled by movements in the user's body;
- Electric skateboards;
- Segways: these are electric hover-boards equipped with handlebars.
On 1 January 2021 the Luxembourg Highway Code introduced two new definitions concerning more or less conventional transport vehicles:
Personal mobility devices (or PMDs) are non-motorised means of transport, such as scooters, skateboards or roller skates.
Unlike PMDs, Electric micro-vehicles (or EMVs) are a motorised means of transport which can only transport one person, and at speeds of less than 25 km/h (electric scooters, Segways).
Children's buggies and hover-boards which do not exceed 6 km/h are all considered to be personal mobility devices (PMDs).
Different rules have to be followed, depending on the type of transport you use.
People who use personal mobility devices are considered to be pedestrians. They therefore have the right to move freely on the pavement and to use all paths which are considered to be exclusively pedestrian or marked with the ‘Roller Skates’ sign. You must, however, take care to respect pedestrians, who continue to have priority. Finally, even though you are not obliged to wear a helmet, this is still recommended.
As for electric micro-vehicles, these are considered to be bicycles. Users must therefore respect all the traffic rules which govern cyclists, i.e. they must:
- cycle on bike paths or on roads;
- have front and rear lighting which works and is switched on both day and night;
- have a braking system; and
- have a sound-based warning system.
Helmets are not compulsory but they are strongly recommended, especially if you are moving about at night or in reduced visibility conditions.
In the event of an accident in which you cause damage to others, your third party liability cover (usually included in your Home insurance policy) will cover damage caused to third parties. If you are not responsible, the other party’s insurance will be liable.
Damage to, or theft of, your machine may be covered by your Home policy up to €10,000 and, if you have taken out damage and theft cover above €10,000, it is the all-risk valuables cover which applies.
Whatever you choose for your personal travel, don't forget to set off properly insured and protected.