New rules for electric scooters have been introduced in Lviv
Lviv has officially approved new rules for the use of electric scooters and other light electric vehicles. From now on, riders must wear helmets and may park rental scooters only in designated areas. The city is also introducing new age restrictions, traffic rules, and experimental road signs.
At its meeting on July 30, the Lviv City Council approved new rules for the use of electric scooters, monowheels, hoverboards, Segways, and other micromobility devices. The new regulations address user age, traffic safety, parking, and the operation of rental services. One of the main changes is the mandatory use of a protective helmet. City officials explain that this decision is intended to help reduce the number of injuries, as 37 children were hospitalized in June alone due to falls from electric scooters.
People must be at least 16 years old to ride electric scooters on roads. Children aged 10 to 16 may ride only when accompanied by an adult and only on sidewalks, pedestrian zones, or bike paths. The new requirements also apply to the scooters themselves. An electric scooter must be equipped with an audible warning device, reflectors, and—during hours of darkness—a headlight as well.
The city has also designated where riding is permitted. If bicycle infrastructure is available nearby, users must ride on bike paths or designated bike lanes. If none are available, riders are permitted to use the right-hand lane of the roadway in accordance with the Traffic Rules. Another important change is the ban on carrying passengers unless the electric scooter is specifically designed for that purpose.
Where You Can No Longer Park Electric Scooters
The City Council has significantly expanded the list of places where parking electric scooters is prohibited. You may not leave your scooter:
- on sidewalks if less than two meters of clear space remains for pedestrians;
- on and near crosswalks;
- on ramps and tactile paving;
- at public transportation stops;
- on bike paths and bike lanes;
- on playgrounds;
- near building entrances;
- in flower beds, around tree pits, and in other green areas;
- near trash container areas.
There will be designated areas for rental scooters
In a separate resolution, city council members authorized rental operators to set up special areas for parking their electric scooters. This applies to the services Bolt, E-wings, JET Ride, and ROOH. The Municipal Property Management Department will enter into one-year lease agreements with them.
After that, rental scooters may only be parked in locations designated by the city council. This should help prevent situations where scooters are left in the middle of sidewalks or near building entrances.
New traffic signs will appear in Lviv
Along with the new rules, city council members also supported the introduction of experimental traffic signs for micromobility vehicles. Signs will be installed in the city to limit the maximum speed of electric scooters, bicycles, and other similar modes of transportation. Information signs will also be installed to explain which types of vehicles the signs apply to and to warn of hazardous areas.
Earlier, Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi noted that the main causes of injuries are high speeds and failure to wear helmets. According to him, private electric scooters, which can reach speeds of up to 70 km/h, pose a particular danger. “The main causes of injuries are the speed of the scooters and the lack of helmets,” Andriy Sadovyi emphasized.
The city council hopes that the new rules will make the use of electric scooters safer for both riders and pedestrians, as well as help bring order to parking on the streets of Lviv. City council members approved the relevant resolutions at a session of the Lviv City Council on Thursday, July 30.
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