A 13-year-old youth has died following a serious road accident involving an electric scooter on Wednesday afternoon in the small village of in Makrisia, in southwest Greece’s Ilia (Elis) prefecture.
According to local media reports, the minor was riding a scooter on a narrow village road when, in an attempt to avoid a parked vehicle, he collided head-on with an oncoming second car.
An ambulance rushed to the scene and transported the injured youth to a clinic in the town of Krestena, where health staff fought to keep him alive. Despite their efforts, the youth had succumbed to his injuries, reports a day later stated.
File photo: Scooter riders on a central Athens sidewalk.
Rising concern over e-scooter accidents
The fatal incident comes amid growing concern in Greece over the safety of electric scooters, particularly among minors. According to recent data cited by Greek Police, 109 scooter-related accidents were recorded in 2025, including two fatal cases, while dozens more have already occurred in early 2026.
In addition, it is estimated that around 400 minors required hospital treatment within a year due to scooter-related injuries.
Experts attribute many accidents to lack of experience, insufficient road awareness, not wearing protective gear, especially helmets, and the vulnerability of riders when sharing roads with vehicles.
Legal framework and safety rules
Greek authorities have recently tightened legislation in recent years in response to the rise in incidents. Under updated rules the maximum speed for e-scooters is 25 km/h; use is prohibited on roads with speed limits above 50 km/h; helmet use is mandatory in many cases and carrying passengers and using mobile phones while riding is banned.
Additional local regulations, especially in cities like traffic-congested Athens, restrict scooter use in pedestrian zones, parks, and busy streets, while introducing designated parking areas and low-speed zones to improve safety.
