Can you use your electric scooter in the city? What are the speed limits to be respected? Here’s everything that Italian law provides
There has been much debate about whether or not electric scooters can be used on roads and bike paths. In mid-2019, an experiment started in some cities to understand how to use the electric scooter in traffic-clogged cities. Experimentation that caused some problems due to the different approach of individual cities. In order to bring order, it was necessary to make an amendment to the Highway Code approved with the Financial Law 2020 and officially in force since January 1, 2020. What does it state? That you can use scooters within cities, subject to a resolution of the same municipality.
What does that mean? That electric scooters are equivalent to velocipedes (bicycles for example) and that they can be used on the road, respecting all the rules of the case. So, to recap, who has an electric scooter can use it in their city without any fear of being fined, provided that the municipality has issued a resolution ad hoc and that you respect all the speed limits of the case. Here’s everything you need to know
Is the electric scooter legal?
The answer to this question is very simple: yes. As provided by Law 160 of December 27, 2019, from January 1, 2020, electric scooters are equated to velocipedes, that is, bicycles. Il testo recita: “I monopattini che rientrano nei limiti di potenza e velocità definiti dal decreto del Ministro delle infrastrutture e dei trasporti 4 giugno 2019, pubblicato nella Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 162 del 12 luglio 2019, sono equiparati ai velocipedi di cui al codice della strada, di cui al decreto legislativo 30 aprile 1992, n. 285.”
Per poter utilizzare un monopattino elettrico, però, bisogna rispettare delle norme stringenti:
- la potenza nominale del mezzo non può essere superiore ai 500 Watt.
- limitatore di velocità che non può superare i 20 km/h in strada.
- limitatore di velocità che non può superare i 6 km/h nelle aree pedonali.
Dove si può andare con il monopattino elettrico? Dipende da cosa prevede la delibera varata dal Comune. La legge stabilisce che il monopattino elettrico può circolare sulle strade urbane, sulle strade extraurbane e sulle piste ciclabili. For pedestrian areas the speed limit is 6 kilometers per hour.
Does one need a license to ride the electric scooter?
The use of the scooter is allowed to all persons who are at least fourteen years old without the need to have a license. Only for minors it is compulsory to wear a helmet (we recommend the use of the scooter to everyone, even to adults to avoid any dangerous accident). From half an hour after sunset and in case of bad weather conditions, ‘it is necessary to wear a reflective vest or suspenders. In addition, the scooter must be equipped with a front light and a rear light.