ATHENS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Greece will ban people under the age of 17 from riding electric scooters under new road safety rules, Greek media reported on Wednesday.
The legislation was approved by parliament on Tuesday evening as part of a broader framework aimed at improving road safety and protecting minors amid a rise in accidents involving young riders.
Under the new law, companies will be prohibited from selling, renting or lending electric scooters to people under 17, with fines imposed on businesses that fail to comply.
Insurance will become mandatory for all electric scooters and their users, while penalties will be increased for traffic violations, including riding on roads with speed limits above 50 km per hour.
A national registry will also be established to allow authorities to identify the owner and user of each scooter.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport will announce the implementation date, with the stricter rules expected to take effect later this summer.
The growing popularity of electric scooters has led to more accidents involving minors in Greece in recent years, raising public concern over safety. Government data showed that riders under 17 have significantly higher rates of traffic accidents and serious injuries than other age groups. ■
