Scooter users in the Belgian capital were involved in nearly 400 accidents in the first six months of this year, Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt informed a Brussels Parliament hearing on Tuesday.
Speaking to the Parliament’s Mobility Committee, Van den Brandt reported that a total of 395 scooter-related accidents led to 373 people being injured, among whom 19 were seriously injured.
In almost 90% of cases, the accidents led to injuries being sustained by the scooter user. Just over 10% of accidents led to injuries to other individuals, the vast majority of whom were pedestrians.
A promising decrease
These numbers represent a notable decline in the number of scooter-related injuries compared to 2021, when, on average, 511 people were injured every six months. However, the recent figures also represent an almost two-fold increase in the number of scooter-related injuries sustained in the first half of 2020.
Related News
- 'Unlocked from congestion': What Brussels could look like without cars
- 'Extremely dangerous': Person rides scooter from bridge arch over canal in Flanders
Van den Brandt further stressed that, with the introduction of new regulations, she remains hopeful that the number of scooter-related injuries will significantly decrease in the second half of this year. Such regulations include the introduction of new speed limits for scooters, a prohibition on scooters being used by under-16s, and the banning of scooters bearing passengers.
