Yekaterinburg cracks down on e-scooter chaos with new safety laws

E-Scooter Season Kicks Off in the City Amid Crackdown on Violators

On April 1, the city launched its e-scooter sharing season, with three rental services now available to residents.

A correspondent spotted a police raid targeting reckless scooter users at the intersection of Lenin Street and March 8 Street. Teenagers—who are legally barred from using shared e-scooters—were the most frequent offenders, riding two to a scooter and failing to yield at crosswalks.

Last season, Sverdlovsk Oblast recorded 146 accidents involving e-scooters, with 83% occurring in Yekaterinburg. Four people were killed in the city, and another 120 suffered injuries.

Most crashes were caused by riders themselves, who exceeded speed limits, ignored pedestrian right-of-way, and skipped protective gear.

This year, one company jumped the gun, launching its service on March 24—a full week ahead of the mayor's office's planned start date. City officials had previously asked scooter-sharing operators to hold off until April 1. Just hours after the early rollout, all devices were deactivated following a stern rebuke from authorities, who condemned the breach of agreement.

Under new regulations, all e-scooter owners—including both shared and private users—will be required to register their vehicles and obtain license plates. A state fee will apply for inclusion in the official registry.