The Careless Acts that Most Often Lead to E-Scooter Crashes
The number of e-scooters on the roadways in America had grown substantially over the past few years, with ownership more than doubling from 2018 to 2019, from approximately 38 million to nearly 90 million (88.5 million). Of course, as more and more people take to the roads on an e-scooter, the number of accidents and injuries caused by e-scooter accidents has increased as well. What are the common causes of e-scooter accidents?
Scooter Defects or Malfunction Are Often Involved
One of the big challenges with e-scooters is that they are typically used by members of the general public, rather than by a single individual. For that reason, maintenance of the vehicle can be a challenge. Inexperienced riders can cause damage to a bike, and users may simply abandon a bike that needs repairs, without notifying the company that owns the bike. Accordingly, a user may unknowingly get on a bike with mechanical problems, including faulty brakes, steering/handlebar or engine defects.
Operator Error Is a Common Occurrence
As a general rule, no license is required to operate an e-scooter. Though there are typically minimum age requirements, there’s little to ensure that a person hopping aboard an e-scooter has the skills to safely operate the bike.
Visibility Can Be a Significant Problem
As with motorcycles, e-scooters may simply be more difficult for other motorists to see, whether it’s at an intersection or an adjoining lane. In fact, as e-scooters are generally smaller than virtually all motorcycles, they often pose an even greater risk of simply not being seen by other drivers.
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