Accident Rates For Electric Scooters Skyrocket

Accident Rates For Electric Scooters Skyrocket

As the popularity of electric scooters rises. it was inevitable that occurrences of riders being involved in collisions with motorists would increase. Unfortunately, the increase has spiked at an unexpected rate, leading emergency response personnel to issue strong warnings to those who may just be looking for a leisurely ride around their local metropolitan area. Our partners at Global Auto Repair of Honolulu, HI have been monitoring this trend as it affects the collision industry as a whole. 

There have been several recorded cases over the last year of scooter-related deaths and the figures of injuries have risen by almost double. Reports from emergency rooms have showed injuries ranging from broken bones to traumatic brain damage from the use of the scooters, and it's not only from motorists striking riders. 

At a top speed of 15 MPH, collision with any stationary object can result in severe injuries. These kind are actually statistically more common than ones involving vehicles. To make matters worse, riders are often under the misconception that electric scooters are toys of some sort, engaging in behaviors that they would never think of while operating an automobile. 

"What I think bothers a lot of us as trauma surgeons is that we're seeing injuries that are completely against decades of injury prevention...alcohol intoxication, no helmets, people that don't know how to ride these vehicles in the first place," said  Dr. Vishal Bansal, Chief of Trauma Surgery at San Diego's Scripps Mercy Hospital to one news outlet.

As we see scooters piling up on sidewalks in major metropolitan areas, the clutter they make often overshadows the risks they pose to individual safety. A distracted or careless rider can easily cause a traffic accident or harm to pedestrians. 

Written By: Todd Hendrickson
Source: Consumer Affairs