Scooters are on a risky highway in urban areas: last year, 6,000 e-scooter riders had to be treated in hospital after a fall. Experts argue for compulsory helmet use and a reduction in the speed limit. More and more European cities are banning rental scooters.
For some, electric scooters are a modern form of mobility, others see them as a huge danger. The fact is that they often shoot across sidewalks and protective paths, endangering pedestrians and other road users. Last year, 1,762 traffic accidents were recorded involving e-scooters and requiring the police to be called. The number of unreported cases is higher. Just like with cyclists, there is of course no liability insurance.
Three quarters of accidents are self-inflicted
Three quarters of accidents are due to self-inflicted behavior. The main causes are an incorrect assessment of the ground conditions, the speed and driving behavior of the e-scooter, but also inattention and distraction.
A remarkable twelve percent is due to alcohol and drug abuse. So almost one in eight incidents happens under the influence. In 2022, about 3,600 scooter riders suffered injuries so serious that they ended up in the emergency room after a fall. According to the Road Safety Executive Board, there were already 6,000 last year. Open wounds, bruises or even broken bones are not uncommon. It most commonly affects the wrists, fingers, forearms, shoulders, knees and head. However, fast scooters are still not required to wear helmets.
Secretary of the Treasury tore a pretzel with a roller
But it’s not necessarily just young city dwellers who are enjoying the new way of traveling. Finance Minister Magnus Brunner is also someone who is affected. When he decided not to use a car with a driver after the opening of parliament and drove home in an environmentally friendly way, he tore a pretzel. The minister suffered a head injury and had to be treated in hospital.
Currently you can drive 25 km/hour. The use of rental systems is considered particularly risky. The call for some kind of ‘driving license’ is getting louder. In the event of an accident, even the innocent driver is left with the damage, as e-scooter drivers do not have liability insurance.
Paris rejects the loan system
Many cities already do without it. Parisians have clearly spoken out against rental scooters. In Germany, Gelsenkirchen stormed into the lead with a ban. In the Netherlands, electric scooters are generally not allowed, with a few exceptions. And in Britain, e-scooters are generally banned on public transport.
ÖAMTC traffic engineer David Nosé in an interview
“Kron”: What makes e-scooters so dangerous in domestic traffic?
David Nose: Several factors play a role in this. In addition to the driving dynamics characteristics (high center of gravity, small wheels, complex turns and emergency braking maneuvers), it is mainly the lack of risk awareness and a lack of compliance and knowledge of the rules that cause safety losses. It is often underestimated that e-scooters differ significantly from the driving characteristics of a bicycle.
How could the risks be reduced?
The most important measure here is to acquire an appropriate driving routine and the choice of a defensive driving style. It is important that you familiarize yourself with the vehicle before setting off for the first time and, ideally, practice in a traffic-free environment. In addition, we request that you always wear a helmet, never ride the e-scooter with multiple people at the same time or drive drunk or under the influence of drugs or medication, wear light-colored clothing in the dark season and only use designated traffic areas to use .
Do you think there should be an obligation to wear a helmet in the future?
A mandatory helmet would sometimes be counterproductive for promoting sustainable (micro) mobility in urban areas. However, we support any form of campaign to encourage the wearing of a helmet.
Should there be a ban on rental scooters at all, just like in other cities?
E-scooters are not dangerous in themselves, but require a higher level of driving skill and awareness about how to handle these vehicles. Rental scooter providers have already been ordered to enforce stricter controls on their users. Most e-scooter riders who have had an accident are between 15 and 24 years old.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
