Registration of electric scooters from April 5 to June 15, 2024

.ccording to the announcements of the Traffic Safety Agency, the registration process for light electric vehicles (electric scooters) will begin on April 5, while from June 15, only light electric vehicles with valid registration will be allowed to participate in traffic.

                Recall that by the Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Road Traffic Safety (“Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, No. 76/2023), a light electric vehicle is defined as a motor vehicle with at least two wheels, with a mechanical steering wheel, without a seat, whose permanent rated power of the electric motor does not exceed 0.6 kW and whose maximum design speed does not exceed 25 km/h, and whose unladen mass does not exceed 35 kg.

                The same amendments and supplements to the Law introduced a prohibition on driving a light electric vehicle in traffic on the road if the vehicle does not have a sticker issued by the Traffic Safety Agency, which indicates the power of the electric motor, design speed, and unladen mass. In case of violation of this prohibition, a fine of 10,000 dinars is imposed on the person riding the electric scooter. 

                With the adoption of the Regulation on the manner of issuance, keeping records, appearance, and method of affixing stickers for light electric vehicles (“Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, No. 16/2024), the procedure and conditions for obtaining the sticker have been regulated. Thus, the holder of a light electric vehicle will be able to submit a request for the issuance of a sticker at locations determined by the Traffic Safety Agency on its official website www.abs.gov.rs. 

Along with the request, the following must be submitted or obtained: 

1. technical documentation for the light electric vehicle, from which the brand of the light electric vehicle, permanent rated power of the electric motor, maximum design speed, and unladen mass can be determined;
2. photocopy of the identity card or scanned identity card, or proof of registration in the register of legal entities for legal entities;
3. completed and signed declaration, on the prescribed form;
4. proof of payment of the fee for issuing the sticker. 

                If it is not possible to determine the technical characteristics of the e-scooter from the submitted documentation, its testing is carried out, with the payment of the prescribed testing fee, at the expense of the applicant. When it is determined in the procedure for issuing the sticker that the legally required conditions are met, the vehicle owner is issued the sticker, and it is placed in a clearly visible place, in the upper part of the stationary handlebar of the light electric vehicle, depending on the construction of the handlebar, after which the vehicle and the place where the sticker is placed are photographed.

                After June 15, 2024, only light electric vehicles with the sticker affixed can participate in traffic on the road.

                It is worth reminding of some of the rules for the participation of these vehicles in traffic. The electric scooter may move on a bicycle lane, pedestrian-bicycle lane, or bicycle path, and only exceptionally on the road where the speed limit is 30 km/h if the scooter is operated by a person older than 14 but younger than 18, or 50 km/h if the scooter is operated by a person older than 18. It is no longer allowed to move on pedestrian surfaces (pedestrian zones, sidewalks), and while moving on the pedestrian-bicycle lane, the speed must be limited to 10 km/h with special caution towards pedestrians. While operating a light electric vehicle, the driver must wear a fastened protective bicycle helmet and a high-visibility vest. The driver of a light electric vehicle, when moving on the road, may use a lane with a width of no more than 1 m from the right edge of the road, except on the part of the road in front of an intersection or other place where the vehicle turns left, or when overtaking or passing.

                A person under the age of 14 is not allowed to operate a light electric vehicle on public roads, and if two or more drivers move in a group, they are obliged to move one after the other. 

                Penal provisions from the Law on Road Traffic Safety:

                A person who operates an electric scooter on a motorway or expressway and transports another person under the age of 14 shall be punished by imprisonment for at least 15 days or a fine of 100,000 dinars to 120,000 dinars;

In case the aforementioned offense causes a traffic accident, the perpetrator shall be punished by imprisonment for at least 45 days or a fine of 120,000 dinars to 150,000 dinars.

                A fine of 20,000 to 40,000 dinars or imprisonment for up to 30 days shall be imposed for the offense of acting contrary to Article 92a of the Law on Road Traffic Safety, on a motorway or expressway.

                A fine of 10,000 dinars shall be imposed for the offense:

• a person under the age of 14 who operates an electric scooter on public roads;
• a person who does not wear a fastened protective bicycle helmet while operating an electric scooter;
• a person who acts contrary to Article 92a, except on a motorway or expressway;
• a person who transports another person on an electric scooter;
• a person who does not wear a high-visibility vest while moving on the road;
• a person who operates a light electric vehicle in traffic on the road if the vehicle does not have a sticker indicating the power of the electric motor, design speed, and unladen mass. 

                A fine of 3,000 dinars shall be imposed on an electric scooter driver who:

• does not wear a high-visibility vest or is not illuminated or marked with reflective material at night and in conditions of reduced visibility while moving on a bicycle lane or pedestrian-bicycle lane;
• crosses the road while riding an electric scooter, except at a crossing of a bicycle lane or pedestrian-bicycle lane across the road. 

                In conclusion, we can see that this popular means of transport, besides being finally recognized in the law, is also recognized as a potentially dangerous participant in traffic. By regulating the rules for operating these vehicles, with the obligation to obtain a sticker in the prescribed procedure aimed at limiting the participation in traffic of those electric scooters that do not meet the prescribed technical requirements and pose a real danger to all other traffic participants