Road safety group says Greece’s e-scooter law is not being enforced in Crete

Yannis Lionakis, president of the Voluntary Association for Traffic Accident Prevention (ESYPROTA), says Greece’s legal framework for electric scooters is not being enforced in Heraklion and other Cretan cities, leaving riders to use the vehicles without helmets, insurance or speed controls.

“The law is not being enforced. There are basic things that have not been done, they are inconsistent, and we keep running into them,” Lionakis told Cretalive.

According to Lionakis, e-scooters are still widely treated as toys rather than vehicles, even though they are subject to traffic rules once used on public roads. He said many riders, including minors, use the vehicles at high speed and without helmets or reflective clothing, particularly at night, on central streets and avenues in Heraklion.

Minimum age and rider knowledge

Lionakis noted that although a law setting a minimum riding age of 17 has been passed, some riders using e-scooters have no knowledge of the Highway Code, including basic rules such as stop signs and right of way. He argued that requiring certification of riders’ knowledge and suitability, similar to conditions imposed on 16-year-olds obtaining a motorcycle licence, would be one way to improve the situation.

Helmets, insurance and rider identification

Lionakis said mandatory helmet use is not being enforced, including by companies that rent out e-scooters. He also said no progress has been made on insurance covering civil liability and accidents. He called for a system to identify which rider used which vehicle, for example through a visible registration number or plastic tag on each scooter that would change colour annually to indicate the year and insurance status.

Speed limiters

Lionakis raised concerns about scooters exceeding the legal speed limit of 25 km/h, saying some vehicles reach speeds of up to 80 km/h. He questioned why scooters are allowed on roads where general traffic speeds reach 50 km/h, and suggested restricting them to specific roads with a maximum speed of 30 km/h to ensure more uniform traffic conditions.

Parking and rental companies

Lionakis said there has been no substantial initiative to regulate scooter parking, describing vehicles left on sidewalks or occupying spaces that could otherwise be used for car parking. He said rental companies can track scooter locations via GPS and questioned whether anyone checks compliance with the 6 km/h speed limit on pedestrian streets, calling for equal enforcement of parking rules for everyone.

Road infrastructure and education

Lionakis said scooter safety also depends on road conditions, and suggested municipalities could add dedicated lane markings, similar to bicycle lanes, to allow vehicles to share the road more safely. He also proposed additional road-safety lessons in schools, delivered by police officers on topics such as bicycle and scooter use, as is done in other countries. He suggested that Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans could be used to determine which roads scooters are permitted to use, and called on state authorities to increase oversight of rental companies.