1 in 10 Belgian Cyclists Reads Messages While Riding

One in ten cyclists in Belgium admits to reading messages on their phone while riding, and among regular users of electric scooters the figure rises to roughly one in five, according to a new survey by insurer Baloise and the Vias institute, Belgium’s road-safety knowledge centre. The findings, based on responses from 1,542 people, were published on Thursday as police began two days of nationwide extra checks on distraction in traffic. Those caught using a phone while riding face a fine of 202 euros unless the device is mounted in a holder.

A Problem Beyond Drivers

The survey, titled “Afleiding bij kwetsbare weggebruikers” (Distraction among vulnerable road users) and published on 8 October, shifts the spotlight from motorists to the pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders who share the road. Authors Nathalie Moreau, Sofie Boets and Isabel Verwee found that phone use among these groups is both widespread and consequential.

According to the research, BRUZZ reported, 10 percent of e-scooter users and 3.5 percent of cyclists say they were involved in an accident caused by phone use over the past year. Nearly 20 percent of e-scooter users and 10 percent of cyclists admit to having run a red light because of their phone, while about a quarter of e-scooter riders say they have drifted out of their lane or ridden against the direction of traffic.

The behaviour is prohibited for every road user in Belgium, not only motorists, and the survey reveals a striking gap between awareness and action. Eight in ten respondents recognise that phone use is dangerous while cycling or scooting and support a ban. Yet one in five cyclists believe they can safely make a call with the phone in hand while riding, a pattern the study describes as an “illusion of control.”

An Enforcement Gap

The data also points to a mismatch between perceived and actual enforcement. While 74 percent of cyclists estimate the chance of being checked as high, only 2 percent say they actually received a fine in the past year.

“Although the risk of seriously injuring someone is greater when motorists or truck drivers are on their phone while driving, its use as an e-scooter rider or cyclist is not without risk and is equally prohibited,” said Karin Genoe, CEO of Vias institute.

“The fines are not insignificant for any road user: 202 euros if you are caught with the phone while riding, unless it is in a holder,” she added. “In traffic, every road user has their responsibility.”

Motivations vary sharply by age, according to the French-language daily La Libre. Among 18 to 24 year-olds, using a smartphone while moving is almost a habit: 71 percent say it is mainly a matter of convenience, and one in five uses the phone to relieve boredom. Only one in six says it is to stay reachable in an emergency, an argument that older generations, particularly those over 45, cite more often.

A Broader Road-Safety Push

The survey lands in the middle of a federal effort to curb risky behaviour on Belgian roads. On 6 October, at the States General on Road Safety, officials announced measures including zero tolerance for alcohol for novice drivers, camera-based detection of phone use, and increased checks on e-scooters.

The stakes are rising. According to Nieuws365, Belgium recorded 223 deaths on its roads in the first half of 2026, up 6.2 percent from 210 in the same period of 2025. Phone use behind the wheel remains heavily enforced against drivers: 110,894 were fined in 2024, more than 300 a day.

A pilot project involving smart cameras aims to change how phone use is detected. From 2028, existing ANPR cameras paired with artificial intelligence are expected to identify drivers using a handheld phone by looking through the windscreen, with privacy safeguards intended to avoid unnecessarily identifying passengers. The first effective checks are anticipated in 2028.

What’s Next

The immediate test is this week’s nationwide crackdown, which runs on 8 and 9 October and targets distraction across all forms of transport. Beyond that, the survey raises a question policymakers will have to answer: if most road users already understand the danger and support a ban, what will it take to close the gap between belief and behaviour? For now, the answer rests less on new rules than on enforcement, education and a shift in the habits of the youngest road users.