Police strike: E-scooter offenders in Vienna have to pay!

Police strike: E-scooter offenders in Vienna have to pay!

The debate about e-scooters in Austria is becoming increasingly heated. The Vienna police recently sent a clear signal with the “Vienna rolls safely” campaign. Numerous traffic offenders were targeted in a key operation from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning. There were around 450 reports of traffic violations, such as oe24.at reported. The focus was particularly on e-scooters and e-scooter drivers, who are increasingly causing problems in road traffic.

What is particularly alarming is the high speeds that some drivers reach. In this campaign, four controlled e-scooters were found traveling at speeds between 41 and 47 km/h - but only 25 km/h are permitted. The drivers of these vehicles faced charges, while four other drivers were cited for alcohol or drug use. Police spokeswoman Anna Gutt emphasized the importance of these measures to increase road safety.

Accidents and dangers for pedestrians

The increasing number of e-scooter users is also accompanied by an increase in accidents. According to the Road Safety Board (KFV), there were around 7,500 injuries from e-scooter accidents in 2024, which corresponds to an increase of 25 percent compared to 2023. Since the e-scooter boom in 2019, the number of injuries has increased more than sixfold kfv.at reported.

The situation is particularly critical for pedestrians, who are increasingly getting into conflicts with e-scooter drivers. Around 78 percent of accidents are solo accidents, in which the drivers themselves are often primarily to blame. In addition, 45 percent of those surveyed complain that e-scooter drivers are a more common problem in road traffic. Accidents often occur due to inappropriate speed, inattention and distraction.

Challenges and demands

But it's not just speed that's a problem. Alcohol and drug abuse among drivers is also becoming increasingly common. In the first half of 2024, 16 percent of e-scooter drivers were drunk. The KFV is therefore not only calling for better training for drivers, but also stricter regulations for e-scooters. These include, among other things, a mandatory second brake, the installation of indicators and a lowered speed limit from 25 to 20 km/h.

Unfortunately, illegal parking is also a big issue. Especially in the evenings and on weekends, incorrectly parked e-scooters are a hindrance to pedestrians, people with limited mobility and families with strollers. Although the city authorities try to quickly remove incorrectly parked e-scooters, pedestrians often have to endure long waiting times.

The Vienna police have helped raise awareness of these issues with their new approach. In view of current developments, calls for more discipline, better regulations and stricter punishments are being heard more and more. Although e-scooters have their advantages, road safety must not be neglected.

The people of Vienna are hoping for a rapid improvement in the traffic situation - because safe traffic is the top priority for everyone.