In Ukraine, there are proposals to significantly increase fines for e-scooter riders and rental services
Ukrainian courts have heard at least 132 cases involving road traffic accidents involving electric scooters over the past year and a half. These figures are provided by ‘OpenDataBot’, citing the court register search engine.
In 79 per cent of cases – or 104 cases – it was the electric scooter riders themselves who were found at fault. Almost a third of these accidents – 38 cases (29 per cent) – involved minors.
In 2025, the courts handed down judgements in 66 cases, and in the first five months of this year – in a further 38, finding the electric scooter riders at fault.
Where are the most accidents recorded?
The highest number of accidents caused by electric scooter riders was recorded:
- in the Odesa region — 11 cases in 2025 and 12 over the last five months;
- in Lviv Oblast — 11 and 5 cases respectively;
- in Vinnytsia Oblast — 5 and 4 cases;
- in Volyn — 5 and 3 cases;
- in the Kyiv region — 7 and 1 case.
The only region where not a single court case involving a road traffic accident caused by a scooter rider has been recorded over the past year and a half is the Chernivtsi region.
Common offences committed by scooter riders
Most cases involve breaches of the Highway Code leading to road traffic accidents (Article 124 of the Code of Administrative Offences) — 57 cases.
Typical situations include collisions with cars, hitting pedestrians and fleeing the scene of an accident.
In particular, in Lviv, a user of a rented JET scooter damaged two parked cars and left the scene of the accident. The court imposed a fine of 3,400 UAH.
In Dnipro, the rider of a Magura electric scooter ran a red light and hit a child on a pedestrian crossing. In court, he claimed this was due to brake failure in winter, but was fined 850 UAH.
Driving under the influence
The second most common category involves riding an electric scooter whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs (Article 130 of the Code of Administrative Offences) — 47 cases.
In most cases, the courts impose a fine of 17,000 UAH.
For example, in Odesa, a scooter rider with a blood alcohol level of 0.65 per mille was fined 17,000 UAH, despite his claims that he was merely pushing the vehicle.
In another case, a court in Odesa also imposed a fine of 17,000 UAH and suspended the driver’s licence for one year, although this decision is currently being appealed.
If the offence is repeated within a year, the penalty is increased. In one case in Odesa, a court imposed a fine of 34,000 UAH and suspended the driver’s licence for three years.
Accidents resulting in injuries are recorded separately. In Kyiv, an intoxicated Bikenow scooter rider struck a young child on the pavement and was fined 17,000 UAH and had his driving licence suspended for one year.
In Vinnytsia, an intoxicated Bolt driver struck an elderly woman, who suffered a broken shoulder. The court imposed a fine of 34,000 UAH and ordered the driver to cover the costs of the medical examinations.
Involvement of minors
Minors were involved in 38 out of 132 cases — that is almost a third of all incidents. Among road traffic accidents where scooter riders were at fault, teenagers accounted for around a quarter.
The highest number of such cases was recorded in Vinnytsia region (4), Lviv region (3) and Cherkasy region (3).
Persons under the age of 16 cannot be held administratively liable — reports are drawn up against their parents for failure to fulfil their duties (Article 184 of the Code of Administrative Offences).
For example, in Ivano-Frankivsk, a 15-year-old girl on an electric scooter collided with a car at a pedestrian crossing, after which her mother was fined 850 UAH.
No proceedings or closed cases
In Khmelnytskyi, a 12-year-old rider of a hire scooter was involved in a road traffic accident with a Toyota Yaris. The court found the scooter rider at fault but closed the proceedings due to the expiry of the limitation period.
What the courts emphasise
In many rulings, the courts emphasise that electric scooter riders are full participants in road traffic and are obliged to follow the rules. In particular, they must cross the road on foot at pedestrian crossings.
Tougher fines: what is being proposed in Parliament
On 24 July, a draft law was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada amending the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offences (KUAP), which aims to regulate the use of light personal electric transport (LPET) and establish clear liability for breaches of safety rules.
The new draft law covers both direct users of electric scooters, monowheels and Segways, as well as operators of sharing services.
Key changes and new fines
Driving under the influence: Substantial fines are provided for operating LPET whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs, comparable to the penalties for drivers of conventional vehicles.
Carrying passengers: Specific liability is established for riding a single scooter with a passenger or with children, which is one of the most common causes of injury.
Traffic offences: There is a clear ban on riding on pavements and in pedestrian zones where this causes obstruction or danger to pedestrians.
Requirements for rental operators: Rental services will be required to use software to limit maximum speeds in designated areas (for example, in parks and pedestrianised streets), as well as to verify users’ ages and ensure vehicles are parked correctly.
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