Italy to enforce helmets, insurance for e-scooter riders after accidents

FILE PHOTO: People ride an electric scooter near the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, September 18, 2020. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's parliament on Wednesday approved a bill that will require e-scooter riders to wear helmets and be insured, while also introducing tougher fines for rogue parking as part of a wider overhaul of the highway code.

Like in other European countries, e-scooter usage has surged in Italy in recent years. But the boom has also brought a rise in accidents and complaints from drivers and pedestrians about riders flouting safety and parking rules.