E-Scooter Users Experience Elevated Risk of Injuries
In a bid to enhance the safety of e-scooter riders, particularly in relation to alcohol consumption, helmet use, and nighttime riding, several key measures are being proposed and implemented.
Alcohol Consumption
To address the issue of alcohol-related accidents, there is a strong push for legal restrictions and discouragement of riding e-scooters under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This is in response to the alarming statistic that 29% of injured e-scooter riders were found to be intoxicated, with severe head injuries accounting for 76% of cases among drunk riders [1][2][5]. Some jurisdictions have already implemented laws that prohibit riding e-scooters while impaired and impose DUI charges for such offences [1].
Helmet Use
Helmet adoption among e-scooter riders is surprisingly low, with only around 4% of riders using helmets despite head injuries being the most common and severe trauma from crashes [1][2][4]. To tackle this issue, there are calls for mandatory helmet use or at least strong encouragement for riders to wear helmets. Promoting helmet use can significantly reduce head and neck injuries [1][2][4].
Nighttime Riding
Given that about 40% of e-scooter accidents occur at night, with half of these accidents involving alcohol, there is a need for enhanced safety measures during night-time hours. This includes equipping scooters with lights and encouraging riders to wear reflective or bright clothing to improve visibility [4]. Some cities have also implemented regulations that restrict e-scooter use during late-night hours and cap scooter speed electronically to reduce crash severity [5].
General Safety Measures
In addition to the above measures, cities are also focusing on education to promote safe riding practices. This includes learning to control speed and use brakes properly, dressing appropriately, and avoiding risky behaviours like riding on sidewalks or while impaired [4][5]. Other suggestions include helmet campaigns, smarter app-based controls (such as sobriety checks and helmet confirmation), helmet locks, and offering helmets as part of rentals to potentially reduce e-scooter rider injuries [5].
These interventions are supported by recent injury data showing that e-scooter riders suffer more frequent and more severe injuries than cyclists, largely due to the factors mentioned above [1][2][5]. Cities aiming to make shared mobility safer might focus less on the machines and more on the choices people make before stepping on.
References
- "E-scooter riders are three times more likely than cyclists to end up in hospital, study shows". The Guardian. 2023.
- "Comparing the characteristics of electric scooter and bicycle injuries: a retrospective cohort study". Journal of Transport & Health. 2023.
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- In an effort to improve overall safety for e-scooter riders, there's an emphasis on education and the implementation of general health-and-wellness practices, such as avoiding alcohol consumption before riding and increasing helmet use, particularly during nighttime rides for visibility.
- Science and health-and-wellness advocates are suggesting integrating fitness-and-exercise principles into e-scooter safety initiatives by promoting riding during daylight hours, incorporating physical fitness assessments prior to renting, and even offering fitness classes for riders to ensure they are physically prepared for riding e-scooters.
