The German Bundesrat has approved a draft bill prepared by the Federal Ministry of Justice regarding keeper liability (Halterhaftung) for e-scooter accident damages. As reported by Tagesschau on September 25, the proposed framework aims to simplify damage compensation claims for victims.
- The draft bill introduces keeper liability for e-scooters regardless of personal fault in an accident.
- The rules also cover personal injury caused by tripping over improperly parked e-scooters.
- An exact effective date has not yet been specified in the report.
Scope of the Proposed Legislation
According to Tagesschau, the draft applies not only to collisions where an e-scooter hits a pedestrian. The proposed rules are also intended to cover situations where someone trips over an improperly parked e-scooter and sustains injuries.
Injured parties will be able to claim compensation directly from the vehicle’s registered keeper (Halter), who will be held liable under the proposed provisions. This liability applies independently of whether the keeper was personally at fault for the accident. While Tagesschau confirmed the Bundesrat’s approval, no specific effective date was disclosed.
Liability of Keepers and Commercial Rental Companies
As Tagesschau outlines, injured parties previously had to prove who was operating the e-scooter at the time of the incident. In anonymous rental operations, identifying the driver often proved difficult. Because e-scooters were exempt from strict motor vehicle strict-liability provisions, victims frequently had to cover treatment costs out of pocket.
For commercial rental scooters, the keeper is typically the rental firm. The federal government justified the draft by arguing that commercial rental services profit from scooter deployment and must consequently assume operational liability risks. Tagesschau notes that the Bundesrat endorsed this stance.
Accident Statistics and Casualties
According to Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) figures cited by Tagesschau, nearly 16,500 e-scooter accidents resulting in personal injury or death occurred across Germany in 2025. This represents a 38.1% increase compared to 2024.