The bill, which Lusa had access to and which will be presented at a press conference in the Assembly of the Republic, aims to amend the Highway Code and reinforce "the safety rules applicable to electric micromobility".

Diversified mobility

In the explanatory memorandum, the Social Democrats consider the diversification of mobility options in Portugal to be positive, stating that vehicles such as electric bicycles and electric scooters respond "to the demand for more agile and efficient travel on short and medium-distance routes, compatible with intermodality and more environmentally sustainable".

Increased accident rate

“The growth of these vehicles, however, has a direct impact on accident rates,” they warn, citing recent data from the GNR (National Republican Guard), according to which, in the last seven years, more than 1,900 accidents involving electric scooters have been recorded, resulting in ten fatalities, 88 serious injuries, and 1,442 minor injuries.

“For the purposes of this initiative, electric micromobility vehicles are understood to be motorised bicycles, electric scooters, and other self-balancing or self-propelled electric motor-powered circulation devices, including unicycles, self-balancing electric platforms, boards, and other similar motorised means of circulation,” they explain.

Changes to the Traffic Code

The first change to the Portuguese Traffic Code involves making helmets mandatory for users of these vehicles, a requirement that currently applies only to certain categories with higher power or speed.

"Portuguese law does not currently establish a general obligation to wear a helmet for users of electric micromobility vehicles equivalent to bicycles, under the terms of Article 112 of the Highway Code," says the PSD document, stating that, for both authorities and users, it is difficult to understand the currently defined boundary.

In other words, for the PSD deputies, the consequence "is an uncertainty that is hardly compatible with simple road safety rules."

Risk profile

The PSD deputies consider that electric micromobility vehicles "have a different risk profile from conventional bicycles," due to their higher average speed, their riding position, or the user's direct exposure.

"Available studies associate helmet use with a lower probability of head injury and better clinical outcomes in accidents involving electric bicycles," they further emphasise.

Use of reflective material

The second change the PSD wants to introduce to the Portuguese Traffic Code is to make the use of reflective materials mandatory at night or in low-visibility conditions for users of electric micromobility vehicles.

“The Portuguese regulations already include requirements regarding vehicle visibility (…) However, there is a lack of an independent obligation regarding the driver's personal visibility in higher-risk situations,” it justifies.

The decree clarifies that this obligation “does not presuppose the use of a high-visibility reflective vest,” leaving the definition of the materials that will be required of users of these vehicles “from dusk till dawn and whenever, during the day, weather or environmental conditions make visibility insufficient” to a specific ordinance.

“Depending on the applicable regulations, reflective elements integrated into clothing, technical clothing with reflective material, retroreflective tapes or accessories placed on clothing, helmets, or other equipment used by the driver may fulfil this function,” it explains.

Fines to be applied

For those in default, the PSD proposes a “less severe administrative offence framework, set between €30 and €150.”

“The solution is proportionate to the nature of the infractions and consistent with the treatment already provided for in the Brazilian Traffic Code for infractions related to bicycles,” the party justifies.