Police warn cyclists about helmets and age restrictions

Latvia’s State Police is reminding cyclists and e-scooter users about safety requirements, including mandatory helmets for children up to age 17, LSM reported.

As the number of micromobility users increases, police are carrying out more checks of safety rules among vulnerable road users. Riding a bicycle or scooter without a helmet is one of the most common violations.

During checks on bicycle paths in Liepaja, police said that about one-third of young people up to age 17 do not wear helmets. Gints Briķis, chief inspector of the Prevention Group at the State Police Kurzeme Regional Office, said children up to age 17 must wear helmets.

He also said children travelling alone in road traffic must have a bicycle driving licence from the age of 10. Liepaja resident Atis said he had not known the requirement began at age 10, having previously thought it applied from age 12.

Police gave gifts to younger cyclists who followed the rules. Parents encountered during the patrols acknowledged that they had not paid attention to equipping their children’s bicycles with reflectors. They also said people should be careful because some users travel at high speed on bicycle paths.

Since May 1, self-propelled bicycles have required registration with the Road Traffic Safety Directorate, a national registration sticker and OCTA insurance. They are also prohibited from being used on pavements. Self-propelled bicycles and electric scooters have a maximum permitted speed of 25 kilometres per hour and may be used only by people aged 14 and over.

Briķis said many parents were unaware of the age restriction and bought electric scooters as expensive gifts for children who were not yet allowed to use them.

According to the Road Traffic Safety Directorate, 15 vulnerable road users travelling by bicycle or electric scooter were injured in crashes in Liepaja last year.