According to a recent estimate, there were around 1500 electric scooter accidents in the United States last year. Some of these involved just one party, the rider, while others involved multiple parties. The laws governing these vehicles vary, which can pose some questions over liability.
Along with the mandates of wearing a helmet and refraining from riding on sidewalks, other rules restrict the use of one scooter by two passengers, and all operators must hold a valid driver’s license. Anyone operating an electric scooter must also obey the rules of the road. That means stopping at stop signs, moving with the flow of traffic, obeying all posted signs and traffic lights, and giving pedestrians the right of way. Scooters should also be equipped with reflectors and at least one headlight for riding at night.
When these rules and regulations are ignored or not complied with, accidents can happen and they can be costly mistakes for negligent parties and victims of such actions. An injury can be extremely costly for either party in terms of medical bills, lost wages, and physical and/or emotional trauma.
Some of the most common accidents that can and do occur from the use of an electric scooter include a collision with an automobile, inanimate object, or a pedestrian or a fall from a moving or stationary scooter.
These can occur for any number of reasons including excessive speed, reckless driving, distracted driving, failing to obey the rules of the road, driving on sidewalks and other restricted use areas, and failing to wear a helmet.
A range of injuries are possible from an electric scooter accident. Some of the most common are cuts and scrapes, broken or fractured bones, contusions, face injuries, sprains, and head trauma.