Electric scooters seem to be everywhere these days, with companies competing heavily for their part of the shared scooter business. Scooters are becoming a popular way to get around—and it’s easy to see why. They’re affordable to use, cheaper than paying for a cab or Uber, and they are environmentally friendly, amounting to zero carbon emissions with use. But like anything else, electric scooters are not without their share of problems, and scooter accidents are not unusual. If you or someone you love has been injured while riding an electric scooter or hurt at the hands of a scooter rider, contact our Allegheny County electric scooter accident attorney right away to review your legal options.
Dangers of Electric Scooters
Electric scooters are incredibly fun to ride and represent a hip new way of getting from point A to point B. But the dangers riders face—and the dangers faced by other people due to scooter use—are all too real. Falls from scooters and scooter accidents often result in more than just injured pride and scraped knees. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones and open fractures, and even death can occur when a scooter ride goes wrong. Some of the most common dangers to scooter riders and others around them include:
- Dangerous terrain. Hitting a pot hole or broken section of pavement can upend the scooter rider, causing a crash.
- People and objects. Scooters travel up to 15 miles per hour, making it difficult to come to a full stop if a person or another scooter comes into the pathway of the scooter rider.
- Bicycles and vehicles. Scooter riders don’t limit themselves to sidewalk use; many use bike lanes and even the street, exposing themselves to being hit or colliding with bicycles and passenger autos.
- Irresponsible riders. Riders of scooters, just like drivers of cars, are not always responsible. It is not unusual to hear of scooter riders riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs, which can make accidents even more likely.
One of the biggest controversies that follow shared electric scooter programs wherever they go is that the scooters themselves are dockless, which means when a rider gets to his or her destination, there’s often nowhere to leave the scooter. Scooters end up littering the streets, blocking driveways, and causing tripping hazards.
