Speed check uncovers fast electric scooter

A routine speed check in Oraison on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, turned into an unusual incident when a radar recorded a speed of 92 km/h for an unbraked electric scooter. The check was conducted by the motorized unit of the gendarmerie of Manosque, who were monitoring speeding cars on an open road with traffic. The gendarmes were surprised to find an unbraked electric scooter traveling at such a high speed.

Regulations limit scooter speed

The device, classified as a Motorized Personal Mobility Device (EDPM), is governed by the Road Code and is regulated to a maximum speed of 25 km/h. According to the gendarmerie of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, the scooter in question was clearly not limited to 25 km/h by construction. The Direction Générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des Fraudes (DGCCRF) recalls that unbraking the device or installing a device that increases the speed constitutes an offense.

Scooter seized and owner faces penalties

The scooter, estimated to be worth 1,500 euros, was seized by the prosecutor's office of the Digne-les-Bains judicial court. The owner of the scooter faces potential fines and even possible imprisonment under article L.317-1 of the Road Code, which can expose the owner or operator to up to one year in prison and 30,000 euros in fines if they put an unbraked device into circulation.

Rules emphasize road safety and compliance

The gendarmerie issued a warning about the dangers of exceeding the speed limit, emphasizing the importance of road safety. The Ministry of Ecological Transition and the website Service-public.fr also state that all electric scooters classified as EDPM must be limited to 25 km/h. According to article R.311-1 of the Road Code, these devices have no seat and are designed for a speed by construction superior to 6 km/h and not exceeding 25 km/h. They can only circulate on bike lanes or, in the absence of these, on roads limited to 50 km/h. The circulation is only authorized from the age of 14, with a civil liability insurance.

Controls tighten for motorized scooters

The case of Oraison illustrates a broader tightening of controls around Motorized Personal Mobility Devices. Several prefectures, such as that of the North, detail these measures, indicating that unbraked electric scooters can be subject to seizure. They can then be destroyed or brought back into compliance, according to judicial decisions. The Ministry of Ecological Transition highlights the reinforcement of rules for EDPM, emphasizing a speed limit of 25 km/h, strict circulation zones, and increased penalties. The stated objective remains road safety.