The German federal cabinet has approved a draft law to tighten liability for e‑scooter accidents. Under the proposal, victims will be able to claim damages more easily because the owners of e‑scooters will be held strictly liable-regardless of fault. Drivers will face liability for presumed fault if they cannot prove otherwise.
Accidents involving e‑scooters have risen sharply. In 2020 there were fewer than 6,000 people involved in such incidents, whereas the 2024 figure has surpassed 12,000. The number of third parties injured as a result of these accidents has also grown. The new liability rules are intended to cover other small electric vehicles, such as Segways, but do not apply to commercial vehicles used in construction and agriculture.
Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig, a member of the SPD, highlighted that e‑scooters from sharing operators are particularly prone to accidents. “It must not be that victims bear the burden simply because the driver has vanished” she said. She argued that e‑scooters should not be treated differently from cars in this respect: the same level of responsibility applies to rental cars.
