Road Safety
Session: The 15th Riigikogu, 6th Session, Information Hour
Date: 2025-10-08 15:17
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 24
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 11m
AI Summaries: 24/24 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Riigikogu member Lauri Laats raised the issue of road safety in a question directed at Infrastructure Minister Kuldar Leis, focusing primarily on the "unstoppable light traffic anarchy" caused by light personal transporters (scooters and small mopeds) in cities. Laats emphasized the lack of supervision, the inaccurate registration of traffic accidents (referencing the Pärnu example, where hospital data showed 72 accidents in one year, while a national register is missing), and the lack of authority for the municipal police to control the situation. He also criticized the recent exception to the insurance requirement (for vehicles weighing under 25 kg), which he believes favors certain companies, and called for rapid inter-agency cooperation.
Minister Kuldar Leis acknowledged the seriousness of the problem and its growing danger in major cities and their suburban areas. He confirmed that the Ministry of Climate and the Transport Administration are addressing the issue systematically. The Minister announced that the situation regarding light personal transporters will be discussed at the scheduled meeting of the Government Traffic Commission on October 29, involving the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the City of Tallinn, and the Tallinn University of Technology. Leis suggested that the solution must be multifaceted, involving both stricter regulations, increased administrative burden (e.g., a license requirement), and the addition of penalties. In a supplementary question, Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart criticized the governing parties (Reform Party and Eesti 200) for previously voting down regulatory draft bills. She proposed solutions such as establishing limits on the number of rental light transporters by local governments, mandatory age verification within the app, and regulating helmet use, questioning whether the freedom of enterprise outweighs the protection of children's health. The Minister stressed that the solution must be comprehensive and systemic, not merely the implementation of isolated measures.
Decisions Made 1
No decisions were made
Most Active Speaker
MP Lauri Laats was the most active speaker, raising a detailed question and seeking clarification on the topic of light traffic anarchy and insurance requirements. (Position: Other)
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar introduced the second item on the agenda: a question concerning road safety from Riigikogu member Lauri Laats addressed to Infrastructure Minister Kuldar Leis. He then gave the floor to the questioner.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar moved on to the second item on the agenda, which concerned road safety, and gave the floor to Riigikogu member Lauri Laats to pose a question to Infrastructure Minister Kuldar Leis.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats sharply criticizes the rampant light traffic anarchy dominating cities, which stems from uncontrolled scooters and mopeds on sidewalks. He emphasizes the lack of supervision, the absence of a unified accident register, and poor inter-agency cooperation. Laats demands swift government intervention to resolve the situation and prevent the tragic accidents recently seen in Riga from recurring in Estonia.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats drew attention to the rampant light traffic anarchy prevailing in cities, where mopeds and scooters moving uncontrollably on sidewalks create dangerous situations. He emphasized that authorities lack both the mandate to carry out supervision and a unified register of accidents, necessitating swift intervention from ministers to prevent tragic consequences before the situation results in accidents, similar to the one recently seen in Riga.
Taristuminister Kuldar Leis
AI Summary
Minister of Infrastructure Kuldar Leis emphasizes the rising and serious safety issue concerning light personal transporters (LPTs) (especially private e-scooters with unregulated speed) in major cities, noting that the Ministry of Climate and the Transport Administration have taken the matter under systematic resolution, bringing it up for discussion before the Traffic Commission of the Government of the Republic on October 29, where complex measures are being considered, ranging from increasing administrative burden to the potential requirement of permits for all LPT users.
Taristuminister Kuldar Leis
AI Summary
Minister of Infrastructure Kuldar Leis emphasizes the growing and serious traffic safety problem caused by light personal transporters, particularly private e-scooters with unregulated speeds, in major cities. He confirms that the Ministry of Climate and the Transport Administration are tackling this issue systematically. Since the solution must be comprehensive and involve all stakeholders (the police, ministries, and local governments), the topic will be discussed at the session of the Traffic Commission of the Government of the Republic on October 29th. The aim is to establish systemic changes that include both increasing the administrative burden (such as licenses or permits) and imposing harsher penalties.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar confined himself to a brief procedural remark, yielding the floor to the next speaker and commencing their allotted time.
Taristuminister Kuldar Leis
AI Summary
Infrastructure Minister Kuldar Leis proposed considering the addition of stricter penalties to the current situation as an alternative measure.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Lauri Laats so that he could ask a clarifying question.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats emphasizes the seriousness of accidents and dangerous traffic behavior associated with light personal transporters, citing examples of underreporting and negligence, and demands swift cooperation among agencies to save human lives. Furthermore, he criticizes the recently introduced weight limit (under 25 kg) for the mandatory insurance requirement for these devices, arguing that it leaves many vehicles uninsured. He proposes implementing compulsory insurance for all light personal transporters operating on city roads.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats emphasizes the seriousness of accidents involving light personal vehicles (such as the 72 cases registered annually in Pärnu), which endanger both scooter riders and pedestrians, demanding swift cooperation between agencies to resolve the situation. Furthermore, the speaker criticizes the recently introduced exception to the insurance requirement, which exempts scooters weighing under 25 kg from the obligation. He maintains that all light personal vehicles operating on city roads must be insured to protect human lives.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to the next speaker with the short phrase, "Your time!", thereby signaling the beginning of the speaking period.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats emphasizes that the proposal in question is certainly worth discussing within the framework of a round table.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the preceding speaker and subsequently gave the floor to the Minister, requesting that he begin his address.
Taristuminister Kuldar Leis
AI Summary
Infrastructure Minister Kuldar Leis confirmed that while insurance rules are established at the EU level, the growing number of light personal vehicles (scooters and mini-mopeds) has made the issue more complex and increased the danger. Therefore, a systemic review is necessary, along with close cooperation with Tallinn, the Police, and the Ministry of Social Affairs, and the refinement of accident data registered in hospitals (currently about 400 per year), as these figures do not provide a complete picture of the actual situation.
Taristuminister Kuldar Leis
AI Summary
Infrastructure Minister Kuldar Leis emphasized that although insurance rules have been harmonized at the EU level, the issue concerning light personal vehicles—which is becoming increasingly complex due to newer and more dangerous models—requires a systematic review and close cooperation with Tallinn, the police, and the Ministry of Social Affairs. This cooperation is necessary to improve the registration of accidents in hospitals, as the current approximately 400 registered cases per year do not provide a complete picture of the actual situation.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked those involved for the preceding discussion and gave the floor to his colleague, Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart, so that she could ask a supplementary question.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the previous speaker and then gave the floor to colleague Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart so that she could ask a supplementary question.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart sharply criticizes the opposition of the Reform Party and Eesti 200 to the draft regulations concerning light electric vehicles and micro-mopeds. She emphasizes that the current situation is dangerous, especially for children, due to the lack of age verification, helmet requirements, and mandatory insurance (referencing the fact that Bolt scooters fall below the 25 kg weight limit). She then asks the minister whether freedom of enterprise outweighs the protection of people's health, particularly the health of children.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart stresses that the dangerous situation created by light personal transporters and small mopeds in urban spaces demands swift regulation. She highlights the opposition of the Reform Party and Eesti 200 to draft legislation that would have established limits on the number of rental vehicles, age verification, consideration of mandatory helmets, and mandatory insurance requirements. She specifically criticizes Bolt for circumventing the 25 kg weight limit and questions whether the freedom to conduct business outweighs the protection of people’s health, especially that of children.
Taristuminister Kuldar Leis
AI Summary
Infrastructure Minister Kuldar Leis emphasizes that solving the problem requires a systemic approach, rather than merely considering one or two proposals. He assures that the traffic commission will comprehensively re-examine all previous suggestions to find a holistic solution.
Taristuminister Kuldar Leis
AI Summary
Minister of Infrastructure Kuldar Leis emphasizes the need to look at the topic systematically, rather than limiting the scope to considering only individual proposals, and confirms that, together with the Traffic Commission, all previous proposals that were left unconsidered will be reviewed again and comprehensively.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar concluded the discussion of the second item on today's agenda, expressing his gratitude to the participants.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar concluded the consideration of today's second item, expressing his thanks at the same time.