Car owners are left with the costs after collisions with e-scooters
Car owners are left with the costs after collisions with e-scooters
More and more car owners in Cyprus are having to pay for damage caused by e-scooters or other two-wheeled vehicles – because legal loopholes make it impossible for the police to intervene.
Numerous videos and posts from drivers from all parts of the island are circulating on social media: parked cars are grazed or scratched, and the owners are left with the repair costs. Even if the authenticity of the posts cannot be verified in all cases, they show a growing problem for motorists.
A viral clip, for example, showed a damaged BMW in Limassol – the repair cost around €600 after a scooter hit it, according to the report. In another case from Nicosia, the damage amounted to €450. Many of those affected express their anger that the police do not intervene.
As the police told the Sunday Mail, their powers are very limited in accidents involving so-called "Personal Mobility Devices" (PMD) – i.e. e-scooters:
"We can only investigate serious traffic violations, injuries or significant property damage. In all other cases, we are not allowed to intervene," the police said.
Between 2023 and 2024, 3,996 fines were imposed for PMD violations – 1,592 of which were for use in prohibited areas and 363 for driving outside the designated lanes.
"The problem is massive in all cities and has reached worrying proportions. Users of such vehicles are constantly exposed to risks as particularly vulnerable road users - especially on roads with a maximum speed of more than 30 km/h," the police added.
Meanwhile, the legal framework for e-scooters is still stuck in parliament – injured parties remain unprotected.
MP Stavros Papadouris (Greens) points out serious gaps:
"Depending on the area, responsibility falls either under the police or the municipality. If this is not clearly regulated, the entire law threatens to fail."
Papadouris emphasized that the lack of registration and insurance is the core problem:
"These vehicles are not registered anywhere and are not insured. We have proposed to introduce a register with license plates and compulsory insurance so that owners can be identified and damages can be compensated."
He also described human consequences:
"A motorcyclist was in hospital for three months after colliding with an e-scooter. He lost his job and received no compensation because the scooter was not insured. The state could step in here – but there are no legal instruments for this."
MP Marinos Moushioutas (DISY) added that stricter measures are being considered in Parliament:
"Since there is no insurance, no one can intervene in the event of an accident. Because neither the police, municipalities, importers nor landlords are taking sufficient measures, we have proposed banning e-scooters if necessary - as a means of exerting pressure to finally create order."
Municipalities are also struggling with implementation. Kyriakos Xydias, mayor of Amathus, explained:
"E-scooters are allowed to drive below a certain speed limit, but there is no insurance. We have legal plans in place, but we are not ready yet. Changes in the law lead to delays. Only parliament can solve the problem."
He added that municipalities have not yet been able to establish clear areas for the use of scooters:
"We wanted to set up certain zones, but implementation is not yet possible."
Haris Christodoulou, senior engineer at the Ministry of Transport, explained that they have already launched awareness campaigns but see gaps in enforcement:
"We have carried out two major information campaigns in 2024 and 2025. The problem is not with awareness, but with implementation. Changes to the law take a long time – the immediate problem is the lack of control."
The police called for additional tools for better enforcement:
"If someone uses a scooter in a prohibited area, the vehicle should be able to be confiscated. The law must contain regulations on the storage of such vehicles."
Since insurance companies currently do not apply by law, injured parties cannot claim compensation. Papadouris again called for compulsory registration:
"We need a complete micromobility network with complete registration of all vehicles. This is the only way to identify drivers and compensate for damage."
Moushioutas also spoke out in favor of compulsory insurance or even a ban if users continue to violate rules:
"Without a willingness to comply, we need drastic steps. Scooters must be insured so that drivers or pedestrians are compensated in the event of an accident."
On social networks, users show repair costs of between €300 and €750 per case, especially often in high-traffic areas such as university campus districts and promenades. Many drivers now plan their routes or parking spaces in such a way that they avoid scooters.
Papadouris warned in conclusion:
"If the legal framework collapses, we will be back to square one – without any regulation."
Until a binding law for registration, insurance and clear responsibilities is passed, injured parties will remain defenceless – while Cyprus' e-scooter boom continues and creates financial risks for road users.
Parliament is still debating the draft law. Until then, car owners will continue to bear the costs, while politicians, police and municipalities argue about responsibility, insurance and control.
The case shows a fundamental responsibility problem in the field of micromobility. With nearly 4,000 fines in two years and numerous violations, the call for a clear, enforceable law is more urgent than ever.
👉 This is the second article on e-scooter problems. The first – about dangerous batteries in such devices – appeared on October 13 on CyprusMail.com
Editorial Author
: Charalambos Stylianou
Source: CyprusMail.com
