The ÖAMTC club criticizes the helmet law for bicycles and scooters: "Completely detached from reality!"
Austria is witnessing a sharp increase in electric scooter and bicycle accidents, with a notable rise in the number of injuries and fatalities. In 2024 alone, 2,721 electric bicycle riders and 2,102 electric scooter users were involved in accidents that resulted in 27 deaths. In the first half of 2025, scooter accidents increased by 31 percent compared to the same period last year. According to Statistics Austria, 30 bicycle riders died in the first half of the year, half of whom were electric bicycle users. This upward trend has raised concerns among authorities and safety organizations alike.
The Austrian government has proposed the thirty-sixth amendment to the Road Traffic Act (StVO), which mandates wearing helmets for electric bicycle riders up to the age of 14 and for scooter users up to the age of 16. However, the Austrian Automobile, Motorcycle, and Touring Club (ÖAMTC) believes that the bill is completely out of touch with reality. Traffic engineer and accident researcher David Nuss explained that only 14 percent of those injured in scooter accidents are aged between 13 and 16, while the percentage of injured electric bicycle riders aged between 13 and 14 is only two percent. He added that the age group most at risk for serious accidents is between 55 and 67 years old — which is far removed from the age groups targeted by the proposed law.
A national survey conducted by the ÖAMTC club at the beginning of 2025, which included about 15,000 riders, showed a significant gap in helmet-wearing rates. It was found that more than 52 percent of electric bike riders wear helmets in cities, and the percentage rises to 80 percent on recreational paths. In contrast, the percentage of scooter users wearing helmets is only about ten percent. According to the club, this data confirms a fundamental flaw in the government bill, due to the differing helmet-wearing habits between the two groups.
Bernhard Wiesinger, head of the legal department at the ÖAMTC club, criticized the project, describing it as discriminatory and ineffective. He emphasized that mandating helmet use for all electric scooter users, regardless of age, is necessary due to the high accident rates and low helmet usage. Regarding electric bicycles, the club proposes implementing what is called a 'reminder law' — a mandate without penalties — inspired by the children's helmet law, which achieves nearly 100 percent compliance. Wiesinger stated, 'We do not need penalties to encourage safety. Just like with ski helmets, awareness is more effective than fines.'
On his part, Dr. Wolfgang Fölkl, chief emergency physician at the air rescue service of ÖAMTC, confirmed that he has noticed an increase in serious injuries among those not wearing helmets. He emphasized that the helmet does not prevent accidents, but it significantly reduces the severity of head injuries and improves survival chances. He explained that the air rescue teams of ÖAMTC treat about 900 patients annually suffering from brain injuries caused by scooter and electric bike accidents. He concluded by saying, "The helmet can be the difference between life and death."