Helmets now mandatory for scooters, immediate fines for offences

Users of electric scooters capable of speeds exceeding 20 km/h are now required to wear a helmet, with Brussels police warning that fines for offences will be "immediate".

“Given the rising number of accidents, we cannot justify a grace period,” a police spokesperson said.

“Our police officers will therefore be able to issue fines for the offence from the moment the rule comes into force [1 September]. Particular attention will be paid to informing and raising awareness among road users.”

The new legislation from the federal mobility service is in line with the rules for other motorised vehicles, which have already mandated helmet use if capable of travelling at more than 20 km/h.

Riders may choose to wear either a moped helmet or a cycling helmet that protects the temple and the back of the head.

The requirement does not apply to most shared scooters, as these are generally limited to 20 km/h, and is intended to improve rider safety.

“In serious and fatal accidents involving motorised vehicles, particularly electric scooters, head and brain injuries are particularly common, and the faster you ride, the higher the risk of serious injury,” the police spokesperson added.

An exception applies only to people with reduced mobility who use a motorised vehicle intended exclusively for their own use.

Police in Brussels will deploy daily cycling patrols to monitor compliance with the rule.

Anyone committing an offence risks a first-degree fine of €64 plus €10.67 in administrative costs.

Electric scooter accidents claimed the lives of 13 people in Belgium in 2025. Among those admitted to A&E following an electric scooter accident, 65% suffered a head injury, and only 4% of them were wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.

Mobility organisation Touring welcomed the new legislation. “The safety of users, who are often young, is paramount,” the organisation said in a statement.

“The medical community has long been calling for a reduction in, and prevention of, very serious injuries caused by accidents and falls involving these vehicles. A good helmet can certainly help achieve this.”

Touring called for continued focus on safety issues, including for scooters travelling at up to 20 km/h, whether shared or not. The organisation also emphasised the importance of regulating scooters that have been modified to achieve higher speeds.

“Scooters that far exceed - sometimes by a huge margin - the authorised maximum speed of 25 km/h must be decisively taken off the roads,” the organisation said.