Electric scooters, the news of the Highway Code

The reform of the Highway Code is increasingly closer to coming into force.
The text passed the first reading of the Chamber, despite some doubts, and now only awaits approval by the Senate before becoming definitive.
As anticipated by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Matteo Salvini, the new Highway Code also intervenes harshly on electric micromobility.
Electric scooters and bicycles will soon have to adapt to the new rules, in the name of the "zero tolerance" policy strongly encouraged by Minister Salvini to increase safety on the streets.
In fact, this type of vehicle is often involved in accidents with dramatic outcomes, and their use is increasingly widespread.
The commitment to road safety cannot therefore ignore the regulation of light vehicles, taking into account their circulation on the road and the speeds reached, providing rules to protect the safety of drivers and other road users.
Below are the most important news.
New rules for electric scooters Insurance obligation for electric scooters Mandatory license plate on electric scooters Helmet on electric scooter Bans on electric scooters and fines Insurance obligation for electric scooters The insurance obligation concerns all electric scooters, regardless of the modality of use and the area in which they circulate.
There is no exemption not even for scooters stationary or circulating in designated areas, indeed a fine between 100 and 400 euros is expected for anyone who uses the electric scooter without insurance.
The obligation also extends to insurance companies, which will be prohibited from suspending the policy for more than 9 months in the same year, even against the will of the driver.
As for the more technical aspects, the use of the so-called estimator is also envisaged for the insurance coverage of electric scooters and electric bicycles.
The free tool, available on the Ivass website, allows drivers to compare rates before choosing the company with which to insure their vehicle.
Mandatory license plate on electric scooters The section dedicated to micromobility of the bill of the new Highway Code opens with a long-announced innovation, namely the obligation to have a license plate for electric scooters.
In detail, we are talking about a plasticised, adhesive and non-removable identification mark, the counterfeiting or alteration of which will be prohibited.
Hand in hand with the mandatory insurance policy, electric scooters must necessarily have a license plate, also because without this it would not be possible to insure the vehicle but only its driver.
To request the mark it will be necessary to contact the State Printing Institute and Mint, with costs borne by the owner of the vehicle.
The circulation of unmarked electric scooters will therefore be prohibited and the penalty for those who do not display this sort of mini-plate will be a fine of between 100 and 400 euros.
Helmet on the electric scooter A rule that strictly concerns the protection of users is the one on the helmet, which becomes mandatory on the electric scooter even for adults.
Until now, in fact, the obligation to wear a helmet was reserved for underage drivers, but it proved insufficient.
In fact, it is not difficult to understand that electric scooter drivers are incredibly exposed to impacts, which can be extremely dangerous even when traveling at low speeds.
Considering, then, the growth in accidents, the use of safety helmets appears essential to limit the most extreme consequences.
Bans on electric scooters and fines The new Highway Code should also include various bans on how to use electric scooters, always with the aim of reducing accidents and their consequences.
In particular: No driving on pavements or against traffic (unless you get off and transport the vehicle by hand); ban on wild parking (especially regarding sidewalks); ban on circulation in extra-urban areas (with the obligation of automatic blocking of the rental vehicle by sharing companies); obligation to use indicators and brakes on both wheels, under penalty of a fine of 200 to 800 euros; ban on upgrading the engine or counterfeiting the scooter owner's data; speed limit of 50 km/h.
In summary, the Highway Code is preparing to keep up with these new vehicles, which expose drivers as if they were on foot but allow even high speeds and must be adequately regulated.
For this reason, the reform also identifies specific provisions on overtaking and on cycle paths.
read also Speed cameras and speed limits, what changes with the reform of the Highway Code