 "Power walking soon to be illegal? Slovakia imposes 6 km/h speed limit for pedestrians on sidewalks")
Slovakia’s parliament on Tuesday approved an amendment to the country’s traffic law introducing a maximum speed limit of 6 kms per hour for anyone using sidewalks in urban areas.
According to a Politico report, the new regulation applies to pedestrians, cyclists, skaters, and users of scooters and e-scooters, all of whom are legally permitted to share sidewalks. Lawmakers said the measure aims to reduce frequent collisions and improve pedestrian safety in busy city zones, added the report.
“The main goal is to increase safety on sidewalks in light of the increasing number of collisions with scooter riders,” Politico quoted author of the amendment, Ľubomír Vážny of the leftist-populist Smer party of Prime Minister Robert Fico, which is part of the ruling coalition, as saying.
The amendment will be useful in proving violations, the lawmaker said, “especially in cases where it’s necessary to objectively determine whether they were moving faster than what’s considered an appropriate speed in areas meant primarily for pedestrians.”
Although the law is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, lawmakers have yet to explain how authorities will enforce the 6 km/h speed limit on sidewalks.
The average walking pace ranges between 4 and 5 kms per hour, but according to the British Heart Foundation, a speed of 6.4 kph is considered a moderate pace for someone in good physical condition — raising questions about whether even brisk walkers could breach the limit.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe amendment has faced criticism from the opposition and even skepticism from the Slovak Interior Ministry, which argued that banning e-scooters from sidewalks would be a more effective solution than imposing a universal speed cap.
Martin Pekár, a lawmaker from the opposition liberal party Progressive Slovakia, said the measure targets the wrong issue. Pedestrians, he argued, are endangered by cars, not by cyclists or scooter riders, and the new rule unfairly punishes sustainable modes of transport.
“If we want fewer collisions, we need more safe bike lanes, not absurd limits that are physically impossible to follow,” Politico quoted Pekár as saying.
“At the mentioned speed, a cyclist can hardly keep their balance,” he added.
The amendment has sparked a wave of amusement on social media, with some wondering whether running to catch a bus could get them fined.
With inputs from agencies
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