Slovak authorities have clarified that a new traffic law, intended to enhance pedestrian safety, does not impose a speed limit on walkers, despite widespread public confusion.
Social media and some news reports had suggested that the recently approved legislation would cap pedestrian speeds at 6 kilometers per hour.
Rastislav Polakovič, the Deputy Police President, directly addressed these concerns. “Several media outlets associated this 6 km/h speed measurement with walking pedestrians, [but] I must point out that this is not true,” Polakovič said.
The cycling advocacy group Cyklokoalícia also affirmed the police’s clarification. The group stated that the law “does not in any way restrict the speed at which pedestrians or runners can move, does not prohibit running to catch a bus, nor does it introduce fines for walking too fast.”
However, the new legislation does introduce a 6 km/h limit for bicycles and electric scooters on sidewalks.
Cyklokoalícia has highlighted this specific rule as a significant problem, arguing it effectively makes it illegal for children under 10 to ride bicycles on sidewalks.
The group noted that “a three-year-old on a bicycle can easily exceed 6 km/h.”
This provision, they warn, could either teach children that breaking the law is normal or force them onto roads, where the consequences “can be fatal.”
The Slovak parliament approved the legislative change in late October.
The law, which also defines “average walking speed” for the first time, is set to take effect on January 1, 2026.
Its stated purpose is to improve pedestrian safety.