Retrofit indicators for e-scooters
Gesetztesänderung für E-Scooter Blinker in Österreich ab 01. Mai 2026!
Ab 01. Mai gelten in Österreich neue Bedingungen dafür, wer Blinker am E-Scooter nachrüsten muss. Alle Änderungen findest Du hier: E-Scooter mit Blinker - in Österreich Pflicht
Only 2% of e-scooter users give a hand signal when turning. This is mainly because hand signals are hardly possible on e-scooters: the narrow handlebars and small diameter tires increase the risk of a fall enormously when riding one-handed. You also need your hands on the handlebars to operate the accelerator lever and the brakes.
But if you don't give a turn signal, you run the risk of being overlooked by traffic. Almost 9,000 e-scooter users were injured in traffic in 2022, almost two thirds of them in an accident with another road user. The best option is therefore to use turn signals on the e-scooter to indicate turns.
You reach the following points when you turn on the indicators
Retrofitting an e-scooter:
- Better perception by other vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses.
- More visible to pedestrians and other cyclists.
- Clear signal, always in the same position.
- More consideration from other road users (car effect, equality)
- Stability when turning (if your hands stay on the handlebars)
In summary, all of these points are ultimately, as always, about safety on the e-scooter. The two big areas are visibility and stability:
Better visibility
An e-scooter indicator - like the rest of the e-scooter lighting - primarily serves to improve visibility in road traffic. Compared to other road users, e-scooters are small, narrow and maneuverable. They therefore benefit above average from being actively lit. Larger vehicles such as cars and trucks can recognize flashing lights over long distances and in all weather conditions, while the hand signal is lost, especially at dusk or against the light. This means that cars can react better to e-scooters.
If you wear dark clothing when riding, it will be more difficult to recognize you on the e-scooter at dusk or in poor visibility, even if you had the opportunity to give a hand signal. On the one hand, it is therefore recommended to wear light-colored or reflective clothing . On the other hand, there is the option of retrofitting active lighting such as indicators on the e-scooter . Even if you still use the classic hand signal, a turn signal increases visibility and acts as an additional signal. Pedestrians and cyclists can also react earlier to the signal, which is visible from afar. In order for visibility to be optimally increased, you have to use indicators that are clearly visible from every direction and cannot be obscured by the driver.
Increased stability
In addition to visibility, upgrading your e-scooter with indicators can offer a huge advantage in terms of stability . As already mentioned, the risk of falling when giving the hand signal is greatly increased because you are driving one-handed for a short while. The design and tires of the e-scooter, coupled with the speed and high center of gravity, cause instability when riding with one hand. Not indicating a turn at all carries the risk of being overlooked by other road users and causing an accident.
Turn signals on the e-scooter clearly show a change in direction - just as is the case with a car or bus. Stability is increased in all cases where the hands do not have to be removed from the handlebars to blink. This must be taken into account when selecting the best indicator for retrofitting to an e-scooter. For example, with glowing gloves you have to remove your hands from the handlebars to use them. E-scooter indicators, which are retrofitted directly to the ends of the handlebars and have to be operated via a button on the handlebars, have the advantage that you don't have to completely raise your hand, but sliding along the handlebars can create additional risk. Gesture-activated turn signals are best, which do not require you to take your hands off the handlebars. Retrofitted turn signals, which are activated via a small remote control on the handlebars, also increase stability, but only if the remote control is mounted directly on one of the handles and can be reached without moving your hands.
The advantages of indicators on e-scooters are clear. The question still remains: can I retrofit indicators on the e-scooter?
Germany
Section 5 Paragraph 4 eKFV declares the retrofitting of forward and rearward direction indicators on e-scooters - or small electric vehicles, as they are more precisely called - permissible.
It should be noted that retrofitting an e-scooter must comply with Section 67 Paragraph 5 Sentence 6 of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations. This means that the indicators retrofitted to the e-scooter must comply with certain regulations of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and may only be attached and aligned in accordance with the specifications of other UNECE regulations.
Austria
By law, an e-scooter, known as a small e-scooter in Austria, must have an effective braking device, reflectors or reflective films that work in white at the front, red at the back and yellow at the side, as well as white light in the dark and poor visibility front and red rear light.
The law does not contain a ban on retrofitting indicators on e-scooters. But be careful: other road users expect that a change in direction will be indicated with a movement of the arm or at chest height . If the indicator is only attached to the running board of the e-scooter, close to the road, extreme caution is required.
Wieso ist Flasher besser als andere E-Scooter-Blinker?
Wer die Wahl hat, E-Scooter Blinker nachzurüsten oder eine Lösung wie Flasher zu nutzen, hat mit Flasher eine ganze Reihe an Vorteilen hinsichtlich Montage, Sichtbarkeit und Stabilität. Wieso genau Flasher besser ist als E-Scooter Blinker zum Nachrüsten haben wir hier erklärt.
Und selbst, wenn man Flasher nur zusätzlich nutzt (etwa in Österreich), macht einen die Beleuchtung, das Bremslicht und die einzigartige Navigation durch Vibration sicherer mit dem E-Scooter auf der Straße.
Flasher Duo
The patented, road traffic regulations-compliant high-tech armbands for maximum safety on the bicycle.