20-year-old Viennese man reported after high-speed chase on the Donauinsel on a tuned e-scooter

According to a test by the city's bicycle service ("Fahrraddienste"), the scooter could have reached a top speed of 129 km/h. Conventional e-scooters permitted in road traffic are generally limited to 25 km/h. The term "Tempo" in the context of reporting refers to the speed ridden by the rider.

Legal consequences of the report

The 20-year-old Austrian is to be reported on multiple charges, including suspicion of endangering bodily safety. This report has also been forwarded to the public prosecutor's office, the police explained. The executive's spokesperson was Philipp Haßlinger, who publicly explained the incident for the authority.

The Donauinsel is a popular recreational area with cycling and walking paths. E-scooters are generally permitted there but must meet the legal requirements. In particular, manipulations to the top speed are impermissible under the road traffic regulations.

Reactions and further measures

The police provided no further details regarding the exact course of the chase, the duration of the flight, or the location where the rider was stopped on the Donauinsel. The officers also initially did not comment on any possible injured persons or endangered pedestrians and cyclists.

The police emphasized that tuned e-scooters represented a growing problem in Vienna's city traffic. Just in recent weeks, there had been multiple incidents of riding at significantly excessive speed in which the riders likewise attempted to evade controls.

Legal consequences: A report for endangering bodily safety can, under Austrian law, result in a fine or a prison sentence of up to three years. Whether criminal proceedings will be initiated is decided by the public prosecutor's office based on the results of the investigation.

The investigations by Vienna police and the Vienna public prosecutor's office are ongoing. The seized e-scooter is to be entered into the proceedings as evidence.

In the city's "Wassersportzentrum auf der Donauinsel" and at other sensitive points on the recreational island, police patrols have increasingly been deployed recently. The authorities announced that controls would be intensified in the coming weeks.

Vienna police appealed to visitors of the Donauinsel to immediately report any conspicuous behavior such as excessive speed or reckless riding with e-scooters.

The City of Vienna is currently reviewing whether additional speed limits or dedicated lanes for small electric vehicles should be introduced on the Donauinsel. Results of the review are expected in the coming weeks.