Federal Council approves liability for e-scooter owners in the event of accidents

In the event of accidents involving e-scooters, their owners can also be held responsible in the future. The Federal Council approved a bill from the Federal Ministry of Justice. The new regulations are intended to make it easier for accident victims to claim compensation.

The new regulations not only apply if, for example, a passer-by is hit by an electric scooter. Even if someone trips over an improperly parked e-scooter and injures themselves, the law should apply in the future.

Previously, the rule applied in such cases was that the injured party had to prove who drove the scooter - which can be difficult if the scooter was rented anonymously. The injured parties were often left with the cost of treatment because electric scooters were exempt from the strict liability rules for motor vehicles. In the future, victims can contact the owner, who will have to pay for the damage. Liability applies regardless of whether the owner is personally at fault for an accident. For rental e-scooters, the owner is usually the rental company.

Significantly more accidents with e-scooters

The federal government justified the law by saying that rental companies earn money by renting out e-scooters - and should therefore also bear the liability risk. The Federal Council sees it that way too.

The number of accidents involving e-scooters has increased significantly in Germany in recent years. According to the Federal Statistical Office, there were almost 16,500 accidents with injuries or deaths nationwide last year. That was 38.1 percent more than the year before.