More road safety and quality of life: StVO reform submitted to the parliament on time
Collection of amendments to the StVO legally on track. IVS Act for better traffic control submitted for resolution. Federal Minister Hanke: “Milestone for traffic in Austria”.
In autumn, the federal government announced a comprehensive reform of the Road Traffic Act (StVO) with the aim of implementing initial measures by 1 May 2026. After the review phase and a constructive negotiation process, it is now clear: The framework for a timely parliamentary approval of the reform is set. The extended helmet requirement for e-scooters and e-bikes, as well as the camera-based access management, can be implemented on 1 May - the reallocation of e-mopeds from cycle paths to roads on 1 October 2026. The Intelligent Traffic Systems Act (IVS Act) is also being developed. It enables better traffic control, which particularly benefits residents in certain federal states plagued by transit traffic.
Mobility Minister Peter Hanke speaks of a “milestone for traffic in Austria” and thanks the coalition partners and the public for the constructive legislative process: “Not even a year ago, we announced initial measures for the reform of the StVO. That we can now jointly implement such a large and important legislative package in this short time is proof to me that this federal government is pulling together and working day and night for a better Austria. With this reform, we are creating more road safety on our streets and in town centres. At the same time, we are adapting the StVO to new forms of mobility, bringing it into the 21st century.”
Traffic calming: StVO reform allows camera-based access management
The Mobility Ministry is establishing a clear legal framework for the use of camera-supported systems for traffic calming in cities and municipalities. In the future, it will be possible to monitor entry and driving bans for multi-lane motor vehicles within clearly defined areas through automated access management. This provides communities with a powerful tool to implement targeted measures to increase traffic safety and thus quality of life when needed. The use of the systems is exclusively foreseen in clearly defined access zones, for example at entrances to inner cities. The accordingly monitored areas are easily visible to road users through a supplementary panel with camera symbol and by newly introduced ground markings.
ÖVP traffic spokesperson Joachim Schnabel: “The procedure to the 36th StVO amendment has shown how important the democratic legislative process through a solid review procedure can be. The requirements for data protection have been further refined in the process. With the now legally anchored needs assessment, the clear signage, and the authorities' responsibility, there are uniform conditions nationwide. With the new camera-based systems, we are introducing a modern and internationally already tested instrument for traffic management in cities and municipalities.”
Single-lane motor vehicles such as motorcycles or mopeds are explicitly exempt from automated detection in the present review draft. During the review phase, data protection concerns were also raised regarding the draft legislation. The coalition parties have taken these very seriously and adjusted them. For each camera concept in the respective municipalities, a separate data protection impact assessment is now required. The legislation also sets clear retention periods: if there is no violation, the data is deleted immediately. In case of an infringement, the material will be deleted after a maximum of one year or upon completion of the process.
With the draft, a contemporary, clearly defined, and data protection-compliant legal framework is created, providing municipalities and authorities with a targeted and proportionate means to enforce essential traffic restrictions. The commencement is planned for 1 May 2026.
Better safety regulations for e-scooter and e-bike riders
The Mobility Ministry is additionally providing more transparency and safety in road traffic and regulating new provisions for e-scooters and e-bikes. E-scooters will now be clearly classified as vehicles and no longer as small vehicles. Clear guidelines on behaviour in traffic and mandatory equipment are included in the legislative proposal. With the commencement of the amendment on 1 May 2026, the following regulations apply to e-scooters: Carrying people or objects is prohibited, a helmet is mandatory for youths up to the age of 16, and the vehicles must be equipped with turn signals and a bell. Furthermore, the permissible alcohol limit is lowered from the previous 0.8‰ to 0.5‰. Safety requirements are also expanded for e-bike users. In the future, wearing a helmet will be mandatory for children and youths up to 14 years of age.
NEOS transport spokesperson Dominik Oberhofer: "We took the feedback in the assessment very seriously and achieved significant improvements in data protection law with regard to the recording and storage period of the images captured. For us at NEOS, it was and remains a key concern to uphold civil rights and freedom of assembly without restriction—and we have succeeded in doing so with this amendment. With a traffic-calmed city center that complies with data protection regulations, we are making Austria's city centers fit for the future, safer, and more livable, while also creating clarity for residents and businesses. With the helmet requirement, we have managed to reconcile safety and personal responsibility so that we protect young people without restricting environmentally conscious and uncomplicated mobility on the last mile."
Dr. Harald Widhalm from Vienna General Hospital: "As a specialist in trauma surgery, I see the catastrophic head injuries that can result from riding e-scooters and e-bikes every day in the operating room. Young lives and families are being destroyed. In 2024 alone, there were 7,500 accidents involving e-scooters that required hospital treatment, and the trend is rising sharply. The head area is particularly at risk in such accidents. I can therefore only urge everyone to wear a helmet. In my opinion, the extended helmet requirement for e-scooters and e-bikes is therefore an important step."
“E-mopeds” move from bike lanes to roads
As announced, so-called “e-mopeds” of class L1-eB, which are currently still classified as bicycles under the applicable road traffic regulations, will in future be subject to the Motor Vehicle Act and thus assigned to road traffic on the roadway. They will therefore be treated as motor vehicles in legal terms, which entails corresponding obligations. These include, in particular, a registration requirement with a license plate, the conclusion of insurance, the requirement for a valid driver's license, and the mandatory wearing of a helmet. This new regulation removes a previous ambiguity in the road traffic regulations and represents a further step toward greater road safety. In order to make the transition as smooth as possible for those affected, the new provisions are scheduled to come into force on October 1, 2026.
SPÖ transport spokesperson Wolfgang Moitzi commented: "A small e-moped is not a bicycle and should not be treated as such. Therefore, they will no longer be allowed to ride on bike paths in the future. In the future, they will be subject to similar rules as other motor vehicles. This is a major success for order and safety in traffic. We are aware that the changes will also affect delivery service employees who use e-mopeds. They should be able to adapt to the changes as best as possible, which is why the new rules will not come into force until October 2026. We are not leaving workers in the lurch. They are under considerable time pressure in their work. That is why, in addition to road safety, we are also strengthening the employment protection of workers. We have created the conditions for freelance workers to be included in collective agreements. And we want to implement the platform work directive provided for in the government program as soon as possible."
IVS Act enables better transit management and reliable navigation
In parallel with the amendment to the Road Traffic Act, the Council of Ministers has also introduced the Intelligent Transport Systems Act (IVS Act). This creates a central building block for the digital transport infrastructure of the future. The aim is to make traffic data usable in a structured way and thus to use it for the benefit of the population. In the future, navigation services will be obliged, for example, to display officially ordered closures—such as exit closures for transit traffic in Tyrol—provided that these are made available digitally via the National Access Point. This will prevent diversionary traffic from being routed through local areas.
IVS Act enables better transit management and reliable navigation
In parallel with the amendment to the Road Traffic Act, the Council of Ministers has also introduced the Intelligent Transport Systems Act (IVS Act). This creates a central building block for the digital transport infrastructure of the future. The aim is to make traffic data usable in a structured way and thus to use it for the benefit of the population. In future, navigation services will be obliged, for example, to display officially ordered closures – such as exit closures for transit traffic in Tyrol – provided that these are made available digitally via the National Access Point. This will prevent diversionary traffic from being routed through local areas.
The law thus strengthens targeted transit management on particularly congested routes such as the Brenner motorway or the Tauern motorway. It creates the legal and technical conditions for more efficient traffic management in the future through the intelligent interaction of infrastructure and vehicles. This also lays the foundation for further projects such as an “intelligent” southeast tangent, which is to be promoted in connection with the expansion of the S1 Vienna outer ring expressway. The ITS Act thus represents a significant step toward modern, digital traffic management.
Next steps in the legislative process
A government bill on the law will soon be submitted to parliament and assigned to the transport committee. The committee will meet in March. The legislative package will then be decided on in plenary, which means it could come into force in May.