Misunderstanding caused ridicule "Speed limit" for pedestrians in Slovakia is not coming after all
A new law is intended to protect pedestrians on sidewalks. However, misleading interpretations have caused confusion - and jokes on the internet.
01.11.2025, 08:29
01.11.2025, 08:33
dpa
Contrary to initial assumptions, there will be no speed limit for pedestrians in Slovakia in the future. On Wednesday evening, MP Lubomir Vazny, who drafted the bill, clarified on public television STVR that the criticism and jokes were based on a misunderstanding.
There is no threat of a speed limit for pedestrians, but for everyone else moving on sidewalks. Previous political debates had given the impression that a speed limit would also apply to pedestrians.
"Walking speed" as a guideline
The amendment to the law adopted by a parliamentary majority on Tuesday defines a so-called "walking speed" of six kilometers per hour for the first time and specifies this in several other paragraphs as a speed limit for road users who are allowed to use sidewalks under certain circumstances.
However, this should not be understood to mean that pedestrians themselves have to adhere to this speed limit of six km/h, explained Vazny.
The purpose of the provision is to protect pedestrians by ensuring that all road users such as skaters, scooter and e-scooter riders or cyclists who use sidewalks are not allowed to move much faster than pedestrians - i.e. only within this "walking speed" set as a guideline.
