As Malta considers making helmets compulsory for e-scooter riders, the Insurance Association Malta is calling for a wider review of road safety, infrastructure and enforcement to better protect riders and pedestrians.

Could compulsory helmets be the first step towards making e-scooter use safer in Malta?

While the Insurance Association Malta (IAM) has welcomed plans to introduce mandatory helmets for e-scooter riders, it believes the conversation should go further, addressing longstanding concerns about road infrastructure, pedestrian safety and the enforcement of existing regulations.

The Association’s response follows an announcement by Sustainable Mobility Minister Chris Bonett, made after an accident in Żebbuġ last week that left a 15-year-old girl seriously injured.

Although the proposed measure has received support from IAM, the Association is urging the government to take a broader approach to micro-mobility safety.

A Safety Recommendation First Raised Seven Years Ago

The call for compulsory helmets is not a new one.

In fact, IAM first proposed making helmets mandatory back in 2019, as part of its recommendations during the government’s public consultation on micro-mobility.

At the time, the Association raised concerns about the risks associated with e-scooters moving between roads and pedestrian areas.

“Since switching between footpaths/pavements and the road is permissible under this proposed set of regulations, the Association recommends that the use of helmets becomes mandatory considering the increased chances of injury,” IAM stated in its original submission.

Seven years later, the Association believes many of the concerns raised during that consultation remain relevant.

The latest proposal, which follows a similar recommendation by emergency doctor Jonathan Joslin, has therefore been welcomed as a positive development, although IAM maintains that helmets alone cannot address every safety challenge.

Beyond Helmets: The Need For Safer Infrastructure

For IAM, improving e-scooter safety requires looking at the environment in which riders operate.

Among its key recommendations is the development of more dedicated cycle lanes and safer infrastructure, reducing the need for e-scooter riders to share space with pedestrians or navigate potentially dangerous roads.

The Association has also called for greater pedestrian protection, particularly when it comes to where e-scooters should be permitted to operate.

One proposal involves allowing e-scooters on footpaths and pavements only when they meet a specified minimum width, helping reduce the risk of collisions with pedestrians.

Speed limits are another area of concern.

During the 2019 consultation, IAM questioned the proposed 10km/h speed limit on footpaths, recommending that it be lowered to 6km/h to improve safety in shared spaces.

“While compulsory helmets are an important safety measure, they are only part of the solution. The wider concerns we raised at the time remain relevant and should be considered as part of the proposed changes,” said the Association.

Enforcement Remains A Key Priority

Beyond introducing new safety requirements, IAM is also emphasising the importance of ensuring that existing regulations are properly enforced.

The Association highlighted rules prohibiting e-scooters from being used on designated arterial and distributor roads, alongside requirements for riders to be licensed and at least 16 years old.

According to IAM, these measures are already part of the regulatory framework and should form an essential part of any wider discussion on e-scooter safety.

The Association also stressed that public consultations should play a meaningful role in shaping transport policy, particularly when stakeholders identify potential risks before regulations are introduced.

“Public consultations are intended to identify potential problems before regulations are introduced, and it is important that the concerns raised by stakeholders are given due consideration,” said IAM.

Balancing Sustainable Mobility With Public Safety

As Malta continues exploring alternative forms of transport, e-scooters remain part of the wider conversation around sustainable mobility.

However, IAM believes that encouraging new transport options must go hand in hand with ensuring the safety of everyone using public roads and pedestrian spaces.

“We hope the minister’s initiative will lead to a wider review of e-scooter safety. Encouraging alternative forms of transport is important, but ensuring the safety of riders, pedestrians and other road users must always come first,” said the Association.

With compulsory helmets now being considered, the discussion could provide an opportunity to revisit the wider regulatory framework governing e-scooters in Malta.

For the Insurance Association Malta, the message is clear: improving micro-mobility safety requires more than protective equipment. It also depends on better infrastructure, effective enforcement and regulations that reflect the needs of all road users.