Greece's parliament has approved a new road safety law prohibiting people under the age of 17 from using electric scooters as part of broader efforts to improve road safety and protect children.

Under the legislation, businesses will be banned from selling, renting or lending electric scooters to anyone under 17, with violators facing fines. The law also makes insurance mandatory for electric scooters and their users, establishes a national registration system to identify owners and riders, and increases penalties for traffic violations, including riding on roads with speed limits above 50 km/h.

The measures are expected to take effect later this summer after the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport announces the implementation date.

The legislation follows a rise in electric scooter accidents involving minors in recent years. Government data shows that riders under 17 are involved in traffic crashes and serious injuries at significantly higher rates than other age groups.

The reform also comes months after the death of a 13-year-old boy in an electric scooter accident, which renewed calls for stricter regulation.(ILKHA)