Switzerland has been pretty lax concerning the use of helmets for electric scooter riders, but the move to change this is now under way.
While motorcycle drivers (and their passengers) are required to wear helmets in Switzerland, this law doesn’t extend to either bicycles or electric scooters (for both modes of transport, helmets are merely ‘recommended’).
Stricter safety measures could, however, be introduced somewhere down the road (no pun intended).
More accidents
Electric scooter accidents are on the rise: In Zurich alone, 94 accidents involving e-scooter drivers were recorded in 2025 – the vast majority of whom not wearing a helmet, and half were riding under the influence of alcohol.
As the number of motorised scooters on Swiss roads is expected to triple (from the current 100,000) over the next decade, the number of accidents – as well as potentially serious injuries – will likely increase as well.
This is where the government’s plan comes in.
Advertisement
What’s the plan?
It is still in the very early stages and not much is happening at the moment.
However, the political will to mandate helmets for e-scooter riders is there, and that’s a good start.
Concretely, the Federal Roads Office (ASTRA) has commissioned a report to this effect, in order to assess the problem and seek possible solutions.
The government is prepared to “put a mandatory helmet requirement up for discussion during the public consultation phase,” said ASTRA’s spokesperson Thomas Rohrbach.
There is no word about how long the consultation process will take, so the introduction of this law – assuming it is approved – will not take place in the near future.
ASTRA will also consider other safety measures, such as widening bike lanes to keep e-scooters from riding close to pedestrians, as well as creating designated e-scooter parking areas.
