No, there is no ‘speed limit’ for pedestrians in Slovakia

BRATISLAVA – A social media frenzy erupted in Slovakia this week over claims that the government had introduced a speed limit for pedestrians. The reality, however, is far less dramatic: the new 6 km/h rule applies only to cyclists and e-scooter users on pavements – not to walkers.

The Slovak parliament on Tuesday approved an amendment set to take effect on 1 January 2026 that defines “average walking speed” for the first time and limits the movement of bicycles and e-scooters on pavements to 6 km/h, in a bid to improve pedestrian safety.

Many internet users and international news outlets have mistakenly assumed that the law sets a speed limit for pedestrians as well – which is not true. 

“Several media outlets linked this 6 km/h speed measurement to pedestrians walking. I must point out that this is not true,” Police Vice-President Rastislav Polakovič said. 

The cyclist advocacy group Cyklokoalícia (Cycling Coalition) agreed with the police, stating that the amendment “in no way restricts how fast pedestrians or runners may move, it doesn’t ban sprinting for the bus, nor does it introduce fines for walking too quickly”.

For the NGO, the real issue lies in the fact that the new rule will make it illegal for children under 10 to cycle on pavements as “a three-year-old on a bike can easily exceed 6 km/h.”

“The only certain outcome is that it will either teach children that breaking the law is normal, or push them onto roads where the consequences could be fatal.”

(vib, cs)