“Lebanon Debate” – Samar dies
Lebanon has recently witnessed an accelerating phenomenon represented by the increasing invasion of electric scooters into the streets of Beirut and its neighbourhoods, as this small vehicle has become present in various regions, amid a random spread that raises increasing concerns related to public safety and legal regulation.
The reasons for the spread of electric scooters, according to their users, are due to the significant rise in gasoline prices and the cost of transportation, especially after recent regional developments, which prompted a wide segment of young men and women to search for means of transportation that are less expensive and faster than walking, in light of the economic crisis and rising prices day after day.
Ahmed Baadrani, owner of a phone shop that also sells electric scooters, confirms that the demand for these devices has increased significantly recently, which has prompted merchants to increase their imports, pointing out that their prices range between $200 and $900 depending on the quality, size, strength and speed of the battery, and the duration of travel with it. Baadrani links this demand to the rise in fuel prices and the cost of transportation, considering that “the scooter has become a basic, low-cost means of transportation for many young people and students.”
During his speech, one of the “scooter” users indicated that he relies on this means on a daily basis to travel to his university, due to its ease of use and low cost. However, he acknowledged the risks that accompany its use, in the absence of any infrastructure designated for it, whether in terms of paths for scooters or even bicycles, which prompts him to be attentive and cautious while using it, demanding that this means be given priority as students and employees increasingly tend to adopt it as an alternative to traditional means of transportation, especially in such difficult circumstances.
This increasing spread of “electric scooters” has opened the door to daily dangers that threaten passers-by and their users themselves, as well as car and motorcycle drivers, as scooters often appear suddenly between vehicles and on crowded roads, which raises the possibility of accidents occurring, especially in the absence of any effective means of protection for their users.
Toy or means of transportation?
The problem is not limited to the driving style only, but extends to the absence of a clear regulatory framework for this sector, in light of the conflicting legal view of electric scooters, between considering them a toy, a transportation tool, or a means of entertainment, which reflects chaos at the level of import, sale, and use on the roads, and complicates the issue of holding violators accountable and regulating their movement.
In this context, Jude Daccache, Vice President of the Lebanese Association for the Reduction of Traffic Accidents (YASA), said in an interview with “Lebanon Debate,” that “the danger of the current use of electric scooters lies in using them indiscriminately, as they are driven between cars and in crowded streets without adhering to the simplest public safety rules, most notably wearing a protective helmet.”
Daccache points out that “the spread of electric scooters constitutes a growing problem in terms of public safety, in the absence of any actual regulation for them,” pointing out that the problem begins at the importation stage, as scooters enter Lebanon under different classifications. It is not known under which classification they enter the country. They are treated as toys, electronic devices, or means of transportation? What reflects the absence of clear standards regulating this sector. He adds, “This confusion also appears in the places where they are sold, as they are sometimes displayed in toy or phone stores, instead of adopting an organized selling mechanism similar to that adopted for motorcycles or cars.”
Lack of organization:
Daccache recalls that in 2025, the state had taken more stringent measures to regulate the sale of motorcycles, by prohibiting their sale unless they were properly registered and accompanied by a protective helmet, considering that electric scooters are still far from any similar regulation to this day. He also points out, “The current legal texts do not clearly determine whether scooters are subject to the provisions of the Traffic Law, and whether they are supposed to be treated as a means of transportation or as a means of amusement, which increases the difficulty of controlling violations and regulating their use. He stresses that addressing this phenomenon requires issuing clear enforcement decrees, in addition to adopting special paths for scooters and bicycles, similar to what is done in many countries of the world,” stressing “the necessity of imposing the minimum means of protection, most notably the protective helmet.” To preserve the safety of users and passersby alike.”
