Accidents involving electric scooters in Belgium jumped sharply in the first three months of 2025, according to figures from the road safety institute Vias.
Based on federal police data, the number of reported accidents causing deaths or injuries rose by 62% compared to the same period last year, Belgian news agency Belga reports.
Between January and March, police recorded 470 such accidents – an average of five per day – up from 291 in early 2024. All three regions of Belgium registered increases, with Wallonia seeing the steepest rise at 95%.
The number of people killed at the scene of an accident also rose in Flanders, from 36 to 47. In Wallonia, fatalities fell slightly, from 32 to 30. Deaths occurring later in hospital are not included in these statistics, and Vias noted that many accidents are not reported at all if police are not called.
Germany is facing similar problems. A study might shed light on why: accidents on scooters often occur at night and on weekends, and the injured parties are frequently intoxicated men.
To curb accidents, Vias urges a ban on scooters exceeding the 25 km/h speed limit and wants police equipped with devices to measure scooter speeds, like in the Netherlands. The road safety institute also wants helmets and fluorescent vests to be mandatory, noting that 60% of serious injuries involve head trauma.
Belgium already bans e-scooters from pavements and restricts them to riders over 16, but these rules have not slowed the surge in accidents. Earlier this year, the case of a deadly police chase involving an 11-year-old boy made headlines.
(vib)
