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The helmet and reflective vest now mandatory for electric scooters in Paris

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The Editor

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While wearing a helmet and reflective devices has become mandatory for users of motorized personal mobility devices (PMDs) in cities on the outskirts of Paris, the capital is now subject to this same rule.

We had a hunch this measure would eventually come. Since Friday, August 7th, 2026, two orders have been issued by the Paris police prefect making it mandatory to wear a helmet and reflective gear for all users of electric scooters in the capital and surrounding areas. This also applies to hoverboards, mono-wheels, and gyroscooters. If you don't comply, fines of over a hundred euros can be issued. 


Fines Up to €135 

If you ride an electric scooter, we recommend not forgetting your "high-visibility vest or [...] retroreflective equipment", or your helmet. Missing the first can result in a fine of €35. Missing the second can result in a fine of €135. 

This new measure has been put in place notably because of "the significant increase in serious injuries [involving] these devices, a large proportion of which result in serious or fatal head trauma", according to the Police Prefecture (PP) in its

stopped. 79 people died in 2025, which is 34 more than in 2024. The number of accidents also increased by 33 %. 


Other French departments are implementing similar rules

" The proportion of unprotected users, particularly those using motorized personal mobility devices, among those killed or seriously injured has grown significantly ", adds the PP. To address this alarming increase, other French departments are taking action and making helmets and reflective vests mandatory, such as Seine-et-Marne, Vaucluse, Yonne and Alpes-Maritimes. The question remains whether these new rules will actually be followed. According to Le Parisien, few electric scooter users were wearing required safety devices on Sunday, August 9.