Overview

• Italy's new helmet mandate for e-scooter riders took effect over the weekend, with violators facing a €50 fine.
• The rule is part of broader traffic safety measures introduced by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government, including stricter penalties for phone use while driving and mandatory license plates for e-scooters.
• Many riders, especially tourists, claimed they were unaware of the new requirement, leading to widespread confusion and complaints.
• E-scooter rental companies, such as Lime and Dott, criticized the law as impractical and warned it could harm their business models.
• The government defends the measures as necessary to address Italy's high annual traffic death toll, which exceeds 3,000, but implementation has been chaotic, with reports of overwhelmed police and rental hotlines.