As of: April 9, 2024, 7:31 a.m
By: Kilian Bäuml
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More and more cities are banning the carriage of e-scooters on buses and trams. Electric scooters are more dangerous than most people realize.
Munich - From one day to the next they suddenly became part of the cityscape in many places and have been an indispensable part of the city ever since: the e-scooters. One traffic researcher even described them as the “best innovation of the last ten years”. However, many people do not realize that they pose a real danger - more precisely, a risk of fire and even explosion. In many cities in North Rhine-Westphalia, e-scooters were therefore banned from public transport in March. There is now a ban on the popular electric scooters in parts of Bavaria.
There are currently no safety standards for parts of e-scooters, and very few drivers are aware that they pose a possible fire risk. (Symbolic image) © Christoph Soeder/dpa
Risk of fire and explosion from e-scooters: There are no safety standards
There were numerous changes for people in Germany in April, with cannabis legalization probably receiving the most attention. But a ban also came into force on April 1st, at least in some Bavarian cities. The Augsburg Transport and Tariff Association, among other things, prohibits the taking of e-scooters on buses, trams and subways. The ban on e-scooters has also been in effect in Munich since April 2nd.
The bans on e-scooters were decided in several cities after the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) made the recommendation in February that public transport customers should no longer be allowed to take e-scooters with them. The VDV pointed out that the batteries installed in the scooters are not yet subject to sufficient safety standards. There is therefore an increased risk of battery fires and even explosions. Such cases have already occurred in cities such as London and Barcelona.
E-scooter ban on public transport: “The focus is on the safety of passengers and drivers”
“The safety of passengers and driving staff is the focus of the ban on transport,” explained Jürgen Fergg from Augsburger Stadtwerke. Other cities are also preparing a corresponding ban, such as Nuremberg. “That will happen to us too,” said Elisabeth Seitzinger from the Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft in Nuremberg about the ban on e-scooters on public transport. In addition, e-scooters in Nuremberg have almost quadrupled the number of accidents.
However, the ban would first have to be approved by the committees. It could then probably come into force at the end of the month. Other electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric wheelchairs and senior mobility vehicles are not affected by the measure. The local transport companies emphasized that these vehicles met higher safety standards. And e-scooters could possibly be transported on public transport again in the future. City utility spokesman Fergg said the e-scooters could be approved again if their manufacturers also met these requirements in the future.
(kiba/dpa)