According to a survey conducted this summer, there are 100,000 electric scooters on the Hungarian roads, includes private vehicles and scooter-sharing providers in major cities, Hungary Today wrote referring to a decision of the Criminal Chamber of the Budapest-Capital Regional Court of Appeal.

The legal case in discussion was wether or not users of the electric scooters are subject to the same restrictions regarding the consumption of alcoholic beverages that apply to drivers.

According to the opinion expressed by the Criminal Chamber of the Budapest-Capital Regional Court of Appeal, the judicial practice is clear: electric scooters are considered mechanically powered vehicles and can therefore be used to commit drunk driving offenses.

Unlike the insurance field, which needed a clear definition and decision on wether electric scooters fall under scope of the mandatory MTPL insurance laws provisions, in the criminal law the “motor-driven vehicle” term has a very simple, unambiguous meaning. Hence, since electric scooters are propelled by a motor, all the provisions addressing motor-driven vehicles apply, including those concerning drunk driving.

However, there are still many unlegislated aspects related to the presence of these means of transport on roads that. As electric scooters are not yet included in the vehicles list in the Highway Code, there are no clear rules concerning the speed limits, safety devices, lighting etc.