Helmet rules for e-mobility users may soon change in Austria. Here’s what’s behind the Transport Ministry’s planned road safety reform.
Austria’s Transport Ministry is preparing a legal amendment that would make helmets compulsory for users of e-bikes, e-scooters and e-mopeds, following a rise in accident numbers.
The proposed rule change will be part of a broader revision of the road traffic regulations (Straßenverkehrsordnung), which the ministry aims to finalise by autumn. According to ORF, Transport Minister Peter Hanke (SPÖ) confirmed that the reform would be drafted over the summer with input from traffic safety experts.
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A dedicated working group has been evaluating the measures since October 2023. Among those consulted was the Austrian Road Safety Board (KFV), which has long pushed for a mandatory helmet requirement in light of rising head injury statistics.
Medical experts back the proposal
Support for the proposed regulation has come from several medical institutions. Klaus Robatsch of the KFV welcomed the move, highlighting that the risk of serious brain injury is seven times higher without a helmet. “Head injuries are particularly common in accidents involving these vehicles,” he told ORF.
The Vienna Medical Association also expressed strong support.
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Gerald Wozasek, chair of the ***ociation’s trauma surgery division, said that “about 50 percent of e-scooter accidents affect the head area,” citing clinical data. The Vienna Health Association (WIGEV), which manages the city’s hospitals, said it also supports the regulation, citing the increasing burden on trauma units.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What are the new e-scooter rules in Vienna?
Cycling groups express concern
However, the proposed helmet requirement has drawn criticism from Austria’s cycling advocacy groups.
Roland Romano, a spokesperson for the national cycling lobby, said that mandatory helmet laws discourage cycling uptake and risk undermining government goals to promote sustainable mobility.
“An obligation to wear a helmet is generally not suitable for getting more people on their bikes,” Romano said. He argued instead for greater investment in cycling infrastructure and the introduction of speed limits to make roads safer overall.
Romano added that while the group welcomes the revision of the road traffic code, “every cycling measure needs to be embedded in an overall package to motivate more people to cycle.”
The group plans to review the full legislative proposal once it is published.
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READ ALSO: What types of vehicles can you drive without a licence in Austria?
Rising e-mobility and accident rates
E-bikes and e-scooters have become increasingly popular in Austria’s urban centres in recent years, but accident statistics have risen alongside their use.
Current helmet laws only require children under 12 to wear helmets when cycling, while e-scooter users are under no such obligation.
Calls for reform intensified after a series of serious accidents involving unprotected riders. The government’s new proposal aims to close that safety gap, though it is not yet clear whether age-based exemptions or enforcement measures will be included in the final draft.
READ ALSO: ‘Bike paths too narrow’: How Vienna could be more cycle-friendly
Transport Minister Hanke said the ministry is working to strike a balance between the interests of safety, mobility, and environmental sustainability. The revised road traffic regulations are expected to be presented to parliament later this year.
