FROM THIS FRIDAY, 4 September, it will become mandatory for e-scooter users to wear a helmet and high-visibility clothing. 

The move comes in response to the increasing number of serious head injuries and fatalities associated with e-scooter usage. 

However, a planned ban on e-scooters for under 18s has been delayed until later this year. 

Currently, the use of e-scooters is banned for anyone under the age of 16 and devices used on public roads cannot exceed a design speed of 20 km/h.

Last month, a fresh suite of regulations on e-scooter use was announced by Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien and junior minister with responsibility for road safety Sean Canney. 

It was initially planned that the ban for under 18s would be introduced at the same time as the requirement to wear a high-vis and a helmet, but following legal advice from the attorney general, the under 18s ban has been delayed. 

This is to allow time for an assessment of the measure to be carried out by the EU Commission as part of the EU TRIS (Technical Regulation Information System) process.

This process takes up to 12 weeks, and it is intended that these regulations will be introduced before the end of the year.

The clampdown on e-scooter use comes after data from Children’s Health Ireland and the HSE indicated a concerning pattern of serious and life changing injuries caused by them.

More than one third of all paediatric traumatic brain injury admissions to CHI at Temple Street in 2026 were related to e-scooters.

Admissions for traumatic brain injuries from e-scooter accidents increased by 50% in the last 12 months.