Govt to launch new e-scooter safety measures
New Irish legislation mandates helmets and high-visibility gear for e-scooter users to address rising injury rates. However, experts warn that without stricter enforcement and clear age verification, the regulations may fail to improve safety.
Why it matters
As e-scooters become a primary mode of transport, governments are struggling to balance urban mobility with public safety and regulatory oversight.
New e-scooter legislation will be ineffective unless there are greater powers of enforcement, a consultant in emergency medicine has said.
From Friday, helmets and high-visibility clothing will be mandatory for those using e-scooters, but a planned increase in the age limit from 16 to 18 years will not take place until later in the year.
Dr John Legge said helmets should be of a higher specification and like those suitable for use on a moped.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, the consultant at St Vincent's University Hospital said that having new legislation on e-scooter use is "fine", but without enforcement there will be no change.
"It's all well and good to give the impression that we're taking this issue seriously. We're demanding new legislation, and it's been rushed through.
"That's fine, but how is it going to be enforced? So without enforcement, you're not going to see a significant change."
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