Safety Concerns and Trends of E Scooter usage

With the exponential growth of the e-scooter market, safety issues are becoming an increasing concern and consideration.

In response to this, many jurisdictions around the world - one of the most notable being Melbourne - have placed a ban on hiring scooters.

An estimated 128 million e-scooters and e bikes will be utilizing the road globally by the year 2028. As such it is well worth looking at the data and where the industry is going, and most importantly, look at what Jurisdictions may be able to do to address safety concerns.

Growth in the industry

The industry is quickly turning into Multi Billion Dollar business with estimates it will reach $42 Billion USD by 2030.

Key companies in the space, and relative size, is summarized below.

https://appinventiv.com/blog/escooter-trends-and-statistics/

Specific to Australia and New Zealand, the Asia Pacific Market is set to be the largest in the world and lead growth. By the end of 2029 the Asia Pacific market will be worth around 26 Billion USD. This includes heavy investments in in charging infrastructure.

Clearly companies are investing regardless of what the Jurisdictions are doing!

Common accidents and safety issues

Below are the top eight injuries, or causes of injuries and accidents involving e-scooters:

1. Rider Injuries: Head injuries often due to not wearing a helmet, fractures and also high speed collisions.

2. Pedestrian Risks: The location of scooters and speed differential creates pedestrian safety issues on sidewalks and footpaths.

3. Lack of Infrastructure: With no or limited dedicated lanes, e-scooters are often in mixed traffic or on footpaths.

4. Improper Rider Behaviour: Two major things stand out here. Underage riding and also intoxication. E scooters seem to be the vehicle of choice after a few drinks out on the town! Want a scary statistic - almost 50% of injuries happen when the rider is intoxicated

5. Night-Time Riding: Visibility is an issue as is lack of appropriate reflective gear - especially with hire equipment.

6. Shared Scooter Maintenance Issues: Poor maintenance in some jurisdictions is an issue.

7. Traffic Interactions: The number of accidents with cars is increasing. E scooters are often unexpected by drivers on the road or in blind spots because of size.

8. Parking and Obstruction Hazards: Uneven pavements, clutter, accessibility all add to safety concerns.

Studies undertaken

There are several studies that have been undertaken that do show some concerning results.

These are summarized below.

1. Injury Statistics A study by JAMA Network Open found that 40% of e-scooter injuries involve head trauma, and only 4.4% of riders wear helmets during accidents. Research from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) indicates that over 50,000 e-scooter-related injuries occurred in the US between 2017 and 2019.

2. Accident Severity According to the British Medical Journal, nearly 1 in 3 hospitalised riders suffers a moderate-to-severe injury, such as fractures or deep lacerations. A study in Paris revealed most fatal e-scooter accidents involved collisions with larger vehicles, such as trucks and buses.

3. Fatalities Globally, e-scooter use has been linked to a rising number of deaths. For example, 29 e-scooter fatalities were recorded across the US in 2021, according to CPSC data.

4. Pedestrian Impact A study in Auckland, New Zealand, noted that 12% of e-scooter incidents involved pedestrian injuries, often caused by sidewalk usage or improper parking.

5. Age-related Risk Younger riders (under 25) are most likely to be involved in accidents, largely due to inexperience or risky riding behaviours. Older individuals are more likely to suffer severe injuries as pedestrians involved in scooter collisions.

6. Speed and Surface Conditions A review by Monash University Accident Research Centre indicated that speeding above 20 km/h doubles the chance of losing control. Crashes are more frequent on uneven surfaces, including cobblestone roads or pavements with potholes.

7. Reporting Gaps Many e-scooter incidents go unreported, meaning the actual burden of injuries and risks may be significantly underestimated.

What can Jurisdictions and decision makers do to address safety concerns...

There are several options that Jurisdictions have. These include:

• Alcohol: with 50% of those injured being intoxicated, looking at steps to manage this is key and will provide the highest return on investment.

• Helmet Promotion: Encourage helmet use through campaigns, incentives, or regulations.

• Infrastructure Upgrades: Build dedicated micro-mobility lanes to separate riders from both cars and pedestrians.

• Speed Limits: Enforce lower speed limits for e-scooters, especially in shared zones.

• Education Campaigns: Promote safe riding practices, including rules against intoxicated riding or footpath use.

• Improved Maintenance: Regularly inspect shared e-scooters to prevent equipment failures.

• Smart Parking Solutions: Use designated docking stations or geo-fencing technology to reduce clutter and hazards.

Note: Research is also key. We have recently undertake a study in Melbourne comparing different e scooters and their operating capability and related safety issues. Results were surprising as there is a large different between scooter brands and models.

Summary

With investment in e scooters increasing exponentially, and with associated environmental benefits, its quite clear that they are here to stay. At least in my mind:)

It is one of those scenarios where e scooters are not taking the world by storm, but there is slow and steady growth, that will ultimately lead to a significant number of e scooters utilizing the road...conservative estimates are that usage will increase from 2.5% to 8% by 2030. That is significant in itself.

Keen to get others thoughts on safety concerns, mitigation measures, and what is now considered to be best practice in this space!!!

Til next time.

Andrew

p.s. No Bond Quote. But an interesting Bond fact. The legend himself might be going electric!!! Here is to a new era..

https://evmagazine.com/news/amazon-mgm-secures-007-will-james-bond-go-electric

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Transit Trends · Andrew Collings, KA Advisory. Read and comment on the original on LinkedIn.

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