In 2018, several ride-share companies began providing access to dockless electric scooters in Tempe, Arizona. Within six months of the implementation, some alarming electric scooter accident statistics became evident: The Tempe Fire Department had responded to nearly 120 electric scooter accidents, and a local hospital was treating one to two scooter injuries per day, some of which were life-threatening.
The situation is not unique to Arizona. Since dockless electric scooters first arrived in U.S. cities in 2018, they have caused
at least 71 deaths and sent over 190,000 people to emergency rooms across the country. This rise in scooter accidents, and correspondingly victims seeking compensation for injuries, makes it important to understand the risks scooters pose to riders and pedestrians alike.
5 Reasons for the Increase in Electric Scooter Accidents Statistics
Part of the reason for the increase in scooter accidents is a greater volume of these vehicles. From 2018 to 2022, electric scooter use has gone up 70%, and more scooters on the road mean more chances for them to be in an accident. However, other factors contribute to the larger number of scooter accidents.
1. Speed
Electric scooters have a top speed of approximately 20 miles per hour. A collision at that speed can cause significant injuries, especially when the rider is not wearing a helmet.
2. Brake Problems
The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that many electric scooter accidents statistics are related to problems with the brakes. Sometimes the brakes showed delayed engagement or failed to engage at all. If a brake failure occurs when an e-scooter is traveling at high speeds, the resulting injury to the rider can be severe.
3. Intoxication
Rules against operating vehicles under the influence do not only apply to automobile drivers. Riding an e-scooter while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol is also dangerous. DUI cases against electric scooter riders in Arizona have been heard since at least 2019, and an estimated 22% of scooter accidents involve alcohol or drugs.
4. Collisions With Motor Vehicles
Electric scooters are very slim, narrow vehicles. Like pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists, a rider on an e-scooter may get lost in an automobile's blind spot, making a motor vehicle collision more likely. The
Phoenix car accident attorneys at Sargon Law Group have handled serious injury claims from these types of collisions.
5. Collisions With Pedestrians
Sometimes the rider of an electric scooter runs into a pedestrian. When this happens, both parties can sustain severe injuries. There have been instances in which both pedestrians and scooter riders died of injuries sustained in a collision.
E-scooters can also harm pedestrians indirectly. There have been documented instances in which riders have not parked their scooters properly. Instead, they've left them blocking the sidewalk where pedestrians could trip over them and fall.
What You Can Do About Electric Scooter Accidents Statistics
If you are someone who rides an electric scooter in Arizona, you can take the following steps to avoid accidents:
- Wear a helmet
- Maintain safe speeds
- Avoid drugs and alcohol before riding
- Follow local regulations on scooters
If you are one of the hundreds of victims behind electric scooter accidents statistics, whether you were in a collision with a scooter or a rider who was hurt because of defective equipment, you can hire a personal injury attorney to seek compensation for legal damages related to your injury. Contact a Phoenix personal injury lawyer at Sargon Law Group for more information.
