Kids on the road – No general permit for electric bikes for 12-year-olds – News

• Children 12 years of age and older should be allowed to ride electric bicycles in the future. But you must meet certain requirements. Parliament decided that.
• Therefore, you should only be allowed to use electric bicycles if you are accompanied by adults and only if the traffic situation allows it.
• A general electric bike permit has been denied for children over 12 years old.

The decision of the National Council against the general driving license was taken by 112 votes to 67 and three abstentions. The proposal was presented by the Council of States Martin Schmid (FDP / GR).

He wanted to instruct the Federal Council to adapt the legal basis of traffic legislation so that young people from the age of 12 can ride electric bicycles with pedaling assistance up to 25 kilometers per hour without a license. Today, electric bike users must be at least 16 years old or have a moped ID.

Tourist offers in sight

Transport Minister Simonetta Sommaruga argued that the Federal Council was of the opinion that 12-year-olds should be able to use an electric bicycle, but only under certain conditions. This is impossible with the formulation of the Schmid movement. He referred to the motion already accepted by Philippe Nantermod (FDP / VS), which the Federal Council must implement.

This motion requires that minors under the age of 14 can also ride electric bicycles. However, it is primarily aimed at tourist use: the Federal Council should be able to restrict its use to places with little traffic.