Electric scooters have been promoted in many cities and towns as an efficient way to take short trips without having to use a car. But with increased usage, studies have shown a surge in electric scooter injuries. The Chicago injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. have been handling scooter injury cases since scooter companies began operating recently in Chicago. The statistics have been striking. A JAMA Network Open study revealed that there has been an increase of 222% rise in injuries between 2014 and 2018 alone with about 14,651 scooter injures reported in the United States. NCBI research has shown that 80% of scooter injuries were cause by falls, 11% were collision with objects like curbs and 9% were cause with collisions with other vehicles. Sadly, there have been 29 confirmed scooter deaths since 2018.
The Chicago Department of Transportation has been pushing the concept of “micromobility” and has been encouraging the expansion of scooter programs in Chicago. The major players in the electric scooter market are Divvy, Lime, Spin and Superpedestrian. These companies combined have already logged millions of rides in Chicago. The City of Chicago has implemented some regulations to make scooter use safer. Some of the rules are as follows:
- Scooters cannot be operated on sidewalks
- Scooters may not be rented between 5 am and midnight
- Scooters riders must be at least 18 years of age or 16 years with parent consent
- No more than one person may ride the scooter at a time
- Scooters cannot be operated on the sidewalks
- Scooter riders must yield to pedestrians
- Scooter rides must obey all rules of the street, including traffic lights, stop signs and one-way streets
The Chicago Injury attorneys of Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C. note that riding a scooter in Chicago is especially dangerous because of the numerous pot holes, cracks, and bumps in the streets. Since scooters have very small wheels, a rider is extremely susceptible to being thrown when the front wheel hits a pot hole, bump or crack. A scooter rider has to be extra cautious at all times to be vigilant of these dangers.