Each year, the Koper Police Directorate faces significant challenges regarding road safety, particularly in the Slovenian Istria region. As traffic congestion grows on all roads during the summer months, there is a noticeable rise in the number of locals and tourists using bicycles, e-bikes, scooters, e-scooters and mopeds.

To raise awareness among residents and visitors to our coastal towns, the police are expanding their annual preventive activities and increasing intensified checks, as cautionary warnings alone may not always yield the desired results.

Increasing numbers of road accidents involving cyclists, e-scooter riders, e-bike users and moped operators on the Slovenian coast

Recent data from the Koper Police Directorate indicates a significant increase in road accidents involving cyclists, e-scooter riders, e-bike users and moped operators in the region. Notably, there has been a surge in reports from medical facilities, where individuals who caused accidents in which they were the sole participants have sought medical assistance. Unfortunately, many incidents go unreported, making it difficult to fully understand the true extent of the issue.
The leading causes of these accidents include loss of balance, vehicle irregularities, failure to yield the right of way, speeding, riding against traffic, insufficient following distances and irregular overtaking.

While police officers actively respond to accidents along the popular Parenzana cycle path—where the highest number of incidents occur—they encounter even greater challenges in urban centres, parking lots, garages and other similar areas. These locations present heightened risks, as cyclists, e-scooter riders, e-bike users and moped operators often come into close contact with pedestrians and vehicles, increasing the likelihood of accidents.

Young riders put themselves and others at risk with modified mopeds

Police officers have also detected a problem that directly concerns young people. Their mopeds are often modified to reach speeds much higher than the design speed.

At dusk, groups of young people often gather at designated locations to test the performance of their modified mopeds. During these gatherings, they showcase their driving skills by speeding and performing dangerous stunts, including riding on one wheel.

Police conduct daily checks at high-risk areas

Police officers actively monitor these categories of road users by conducting daily checks at critical locations. The most common offences observed include improper road crossings, riding against traffic, driving on unhallowed surfaces and a concerning rise in the use of mobile phones and headsets. Other violations include not wearing safety helmets, operating modified or unroadworthy vehicles, riding on one wheel, driving without the appropriate licence and engaging in dangerous behaviours that jeopardize pedestrians and other road users.

To enhance safety, police officers will continue to implement intensified short-term checks for these categories of road users until the end of the motorcycling season.

Common injuries resulting from dangerous cycling, scooting and moped riding

As the popularity of electric scooters continues to grow, so does the number of related injuries. The majority of accidents police officers deal with involve superficial wounds and head injuries, followed by injuries to the teeth and fractures of various bones. Concussions and more severe head injuries are also common, with the severity of injuries largely depending on the rider's speed and the nature of the fall.

To reduce the risk of injury, it is essential for all road users to ride cautiously and adhere to traffic regulations.