The electric scooter craze has come to Arizona and has made companies like Lime, Bird and Razor household names. This creative solution has been heralded as an alternative solution to environmental issues like carbon emissions of greenhouse gases. However, public safety advocates say that shared vehicles like e-scooters are causing a variety of hazards.
Electric scooters accidents in Arizona have seen triple digits in some metropolitan cities like Phoenix, which leaves many questioning just how safe e-scooters really are.
Dangers to e-scooter users
Some e-scooter users take chances they shouldn’t. Some of the common risky behavior that has been seen include going the wrong way down streets, avoiding congested streets by riding on sidewalks, carrying multiple riders on one scooter and failing to use safety lights when riding at night.
Dangers to drivers and pedestrians
E-scooters are often allowed on sidewalks unless otherwise posted. The mixing of vehicles and pedestrian walkways has resulted in numerous accidents that injured both riders and pedestrians.
Additionally, e-scooters cause traffic accidents with other drivers when riders don’t follow regular traffic laws.
Dangers to the general public
Shared e-scooter services are most often considered “Dockless.” This means that users can pick up and drop off their rented e-scooter at several locations in the service area. Picking up an e-scooter in one location and dropping it off at another location is a huge advantage for users. However, the “homelessness” of e-scooters has created a culture that leaves e-scooters parked just anywhere. E-scooters have been seen hanging from trees, parked in front of doors to buildings and left unattended on sidewalks. This can create hazards to passers-by if the scooters fall, slide or block a walkway.
Shared e-scooters are adding another layer of liability and complexity to our already busy streets and sidewalks — but they are motor vehicles. As such, injury victims may be able to recover compensation for their losses following an accident with an e-scooter.
