Starting September 1, several new rules will take effect in Belgium, affecting traffic and mobility. For example, helmets will be required when riding an e-scooter capable of speeds exceeding 20 km/h.
In Flanders, cars will only need to be inspected every two years after the initial inspection. Because an inspection certificate is valid throughout Belgium, mobility organization Touring warns against “inspection tourism.”
A new penal code is also being introduced. One of the new provisions is the introduction of “traffic manslaughter” as a new criminal offense.
Helmet requirement for e-scooters faster than 20 km/h
As for the helmet requirement for e-scooters, the rule applies only to e-scooters with a maximum speed between 20 and 25 km/h. In Belgium, only e-scooters with a maximum speed of 25 km/h are allowed on public roads anyway.
In practice, this means that primarily private users will need to purchase a helmet, since with shared e-scooters the operator has often limited the maximum speed to 20 km/h, as required by the operating license.
The helmet can be a moped helmet or a bicycle helmet, both of which protect the temples and the back of the head. In serious and fatal accidents involving motorized vehicles – particularly e-scooters – head and brain injuries are notably common. And the faster one rides, the higher the risk of serious injuries.
One reason why not everyone riding an e-scooter is required to wear a helmet is to avoid discouraging the shift from, for example, cars to (shared) e-scooters for certain trips.
However, it does not apply to Brussels, where the e-scooter sharing system will be phased out as of January 1, 2027. But VIAS regrets that the helmet requirement does not apply to all electric scooters, since, as the traffic institute points out, you can still suffer serious head injuries even at 18 km/h.
It’s also worth noting that all hope is not yet lost for users and operators, because as a result of a citizens’ petition, the Brussels Parliament will have to consider the proposal after the summer recess – likely in November – precisely because the ban was enacted without consultation with the sector and users. Dott’s CEO, however, believes there’s only a 5% chance of a reversal.
Car inspection every 2 years in Flanders
Starting September 1, new rules regarding vehicle inspections will also take effect, along with a new penal code. For example, in Flanders, all passenger cars older than 4 years will now be required to undergo inspection every 2 years instead of annually.
The insurance certificate will also no longer be checked, as this verification is already handled at the federal level via ANPR cameras, and the deadline for repairing major defects will be extended to 2 months instead of 15 days. Additionally, a separate inspection is no longer required for a tow hitch.
The inspection frequency is also changing for other vehicle categories. Vans and light trucks will gradually transition from annual to biennial inspections. In the initial phase, this will apply to vehicles that are no more than 4 years old. Taxis and buses will now only need to be inspected every other year.
The GOCA Flanders industry federation and the labor unions, among others, believe that the reforms seriously undermine road safety, the objectivity of inspections, and employment in the sector. Touring, on the other hand, anticipates “inspection tourism,” in which drivers from Brussels and Wallonia will have their cars inspected in Flanders because the rules there are more lenient.
The inspection requirement is, in fact, a federal/regional obligation, but you can choose where to have the inspection performed. And the inspection certificate you receive is valid throughout Belgium, including for the period of validity stated on it.
This “inspection tourisme” is already happening in the opposite direction – namely, with Flemish people driving to Wallonia because the particulate matter test isn’t administered there. Or, to put it simply: Belgian surrealism at its most concrete.
Manslaughter in traffic
Finally, a new Penal Code will also take effect. From now on, for example, there will be 8 levels of punishment intended to reflect the severity of crimes better. This includes the addition of a new traffic offense: aggravated traffic homicide or manslaughter in traffic.
The new Penal Code provides for a Level 3 penalty for causing an “ordinary” fatal traffic accident. Drivers face up to 5 years in prison and a maximum fine of 10,000 euros.
Under certain circumstances, the offense constitutes aggravated vehicular homicide, such as driving under the influence, running a red light, or driving without a license. In such cases, the magistrate may impose a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to 16,000 euros.
However, intoxication from alcohol or drugs is not listed in the new Penal Code as an aggravating factor in a fatal traffic accident. Intoxication refers to exceeding the legally permitted blood alcohol limit (e.g., 0,5 or 0,8 g/L).
In contrast, drunkenness is a more severe, factual state in which a person has completely lost control of their actions due to alcohol consumption – that is a separate, more severe classification. Nevertheless, many fatal accidents still occur because of intoxication.
