Police stop 14-year-old: E-scooter with expired sticker!

Police stop 14-year-old: E-scooter with expired sticker!

On the evening of July 4, 2025, a 14-year-old e-scooter driver was stopped by police officers in Heiligenstadt. The check took place at around 10:45 p.m. on Nordhäuser Straße. The teenager's e-scooter bore a sticker from 2024, indicating that the operating license is no longer valid. The police officers forbade the young person to continue driving and filed a report for this violation. After the police measures were completed, the boy was handed over to the care of his parents. This information comes from the Nordhausen State Police Inspectorate and reflects the current safety challenges in dealing with e-scooters.

E-scooters are one of the popular means of transportation in urban areas. They are electrically powered scooters, the use of which is subject to strict regulations set out in the Small Electric Vehicle Ordinance (EKfV). This regulation stipulates that e-scooters require a valid operating license and liability insurance, which must be proven by a affixed insurance sticker. Failure to follow these rules can result in expensive fines; For example, driving without an operating license costs 70 euros.

Road safety and new regulations

The number of accidents involving e-scooters, particularly involving serious personal injuries, is a growing problem. For this reason, the EKfV is currently being revised to improve road safety. Future regulations could ensure that e-scooters are only allowed to drive where cycling is permitted. A ban on parking sharing e-scooters on sidewalks and in pedestrian zones is also being discussed.

• E-Scooter-Fahrer müssen Radwege nur benutzen, wenn dies für Radfahrer angeordnet ist.
• Bei Rotlicht dürfen E-Scooter künftig unter denselben Bedingungen wie Radfahrer abbiegen.
• Neu zugelassene E-Scooter müssen mit Blinkern und einer getrennten Vorder- und Rückbremse ausgestattet sein.

In addition, the discussion about a possible turn signal requirement for e-scooters was initiated. Victim protection for accidents involving e-scooters is currently criticized as inadequate, which underlines the need for the regulations to be adjusted. The new provisions are expected to come into force in 2025, with a transition period of one year.

The use of e-scooters is permitted from a minimum age of 14 years; a driving license or moped test certificate is not required. However, wearing a helmet is recommended. The same alcohol limits apply to e-scooter drivers as to car drivers: 0.5 to 1.09 per mille results in fines and a driving ban, while above 1.1 per mille it is a criminal offense. A zero-tolerance principle applies to novice drivers and drivers under the age of 21.