How to Keep Safe While Riding an Electric Scooter in NYC

The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) recently announced the launch of a new scooter pilot program to prevent accidents and make the rides safer for users. New DOT commissioner, Hank Gutman, promised during a recent conference that the new dedicated bike lanes in the East Bronx will provide safer rides for scooter users and bicyclists.

Although commuters can benefit from programs that allow them to utilize scooters to ride to train stations far away, it is important they can do so safely. Street safety activists believe that though New Yorkers should be encouraged to use scooters and bicycles instead of cars when possible, the NYC DOT has been way behind in keeping bicyclists and scooter riders safe. In 2020, a record number of people were involved in serious and even fatal bicycle and scooter accidents.

Countries worldwide have increasingly launched scooter-share programs. Unlike most Europeans countries, every state in the U.S. has its own specific regulations when it comes to scooter safety. This may be necessary in the U.S. to reduce the likelihood of serious accidents and tragic injuries, especially as scooters become a more common mode of transportation.

Common Scooter Related Injuries

More than 39,000 electric scooter injuries were treated in emergency rooms across the U.S. between 2014 and 2018. That is an increase of 222% over the period, according to a study published in JAMA Surgery. Nearly a third of patients suffered head trauma, according to the study. This number has quickly been on the rise as scooters continue to flood cities across the U.S.

One of the most common injuries linked to scooter accidents is injury to the head, including traumatic brain injuries. Research shows that approximately two third of the scooter riders who suffered head injuries were not wearing helmets at the time of the accident. This number is significantly lower in European countries, such as Italy, that mandate all scooter riders to wear a helmet.

Other scooter accident injuries include:

• Facial cuts and abrasions
• Broken bones and lacerations
• Internal organ injuries
• Neck and back injuries

Contact Our New York Scooter Accident Attorneys

If you have been injured or have lost a loved one in an electric scooter accident in New York City, you need to immediately contact an experienced New York City scooter accident attorney to protect your legal rights and get you the full compensation that you deserve. For more information or to consult with our legal team, please call Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. at 212-385-4410.