ROME (Reuters) – Road accidents in Italy involving e-scooters increased by almost 40% last year, statistics bureau ISTAT said on Tuesday, weeks after the government announced a crackdown on their use on safety grounds.
ISTAT said in its annual report on road accidents that 2,929 people were hurt in e-scooter collisions in 2022, up from 2,101 the year earlier. It also reported 16 deaths, up from 9 in 2021.
E-scooters have proliferated in cities all over the world, but despite offering an environmentally friendly way to get around town they have faced a backlash from some people who feel threatened by the zippy, silent machines which are sometimes driven or parked recklessly.
In Italy, they have become increasingly popular in big cities like Rome and Milan, where they are used by commuters, students, tourists and food delivery workers.
Parisians voted in April to ban them from the French capital. There has been no such suggestion in Italy, although various cities have looked to cap the speed limit of scooters and reduce the number of firms that can hire them out.
Last month the Italian government announced measures to regulate their use, including an obligation for riders to wear helmets and take out insurance. Parliament has yet to vote on the proposals.
The restrictions are part of a broader update of Italy’s highway code intended to crack down on people driving under the effect of alcohol or drugs, or caught using a mobile phone at the wheel.
ISTAT reported an overall increase in road accidents in Italy last year, as traffic recovered from a COVID-related slump.
Year-on-year, road deaths and injuries rose by about 9-10% to 3.159 and 223,475 respectively, it said.
(Reporting by Federica Urso, editing by Alvise Armellini and Gavin Jones)
