Road Safety
Session: The 15th Riigikogu, 6th Session, Information Hour
Date: 2025-10-08 15:17
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 11
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 11m
AI Summaries: 11/11 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Member of the Riigikogu Lauri Laats submitted an interpellation to Minister of Infrastructure Kuldar Leis regarding road safety, focusing on the uncontrollable anarchy of light traffic in cities caused by scooters and micro-mopeds, over which there is no effective supervision and for which there is no unified register of resulting accidents. Laats stressed that neither the municipal police nor the Police of the Republic of Estonia possess sufficient mandates to control the situation, and warned that authorities are attempting to shirk responsibility until a tragic accident occurs. He also highlighted the exception in insurance obligations, which exempts rental scooters weighing under 25 kg (such as Bolt) from the insurance requirement.
Minister Leis acknowledged the seriousness of the problem, especially in major cities and sprawling suburbs, and confirmed that the Ministry of Climate and the Transport Administration are addressing the issue. He announced that the situation concerning light vehicles has been added to the agenda of the Traffic Commission of the Government of the Republic's session on October 29. Leis emphasized that the solution must be comprehensive, involving the Ministry of the Interior, the Police, the Ministry of Social Affairs, and the City of Tallinn, and may include both increasing the administrative burden (e.g., a permit requirement) and tightening penalties. In a supplementary question, Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart criticized the governing parties for voting down similar draft legislation and asked whether the freedom of enterprise outweighs the protection of children's health, referring to the need to regulate the quota of rental scooters, age verification, and helmet use. The Minister confirmed that all previous proposals will be systematically reviewed by the Traffic Commission.
Decisions Made 1
No decisions were made
Most Active Speaker
Member of the Riigikogu Lauri Laats (other/opposition) was the most active, both as the initiator of the topic and the one posing clarifying questions. He highlighted the anarchy surrounding light personal transport vehicles, the lack of data, and the discrepancies in insurance obligations that favor rental companies.
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.
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 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 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.
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 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 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.
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.