As electric scooters and micromobility experience a surge in popularity across the nation, safety will accompany that rise as a key factor of discussion and criticism. For city administrators looking for electric scooter safety stats that can help enable better overall rider safety and inspire safer riding habits, here are a few go-to stats to act as a guide, encouraging awareness of injury risks. These stats can serve as the perfect messaging foundation for encouraging the most effective electric scooter safety practices to mitigate risk and protect all riders.
Get Off to a Smart Start
A recent Austin Public Health (APH) study reporting on the impact of electric scooters revealed that 33% of all electric scooter injuries occurred on a participant’s first ride. Highlighting this fact can help first-time riders truly absorb the value of learning and embracing complete safety practices on the first ride. It could be the most effective way to avoid injury.
A Helmet is Non-Negotiable
A JAMA Network Open study also confirms one of the easiest ways to make sure you avoid serious injury by wearing a helmet on every single ride. The JAMA study concluded that only 4.4% of reported head-related electric scooter injuries occurred in riders who were wearing a helmet. This is solid proof that wearing a helmet saves riders from traumatic brain injury and concussions. City administrators can feel confident using this prompt as an evidence-based safety tool for reducing rider head injuries.
Young People Should Take Extra Caution
Across both the APH and JAMA studies, electric scooter safety stats were clear that the majority of injuries occurred in riders under age 29. With more than 10% of reported injuries occurring in underage riders and nearly half of electric scooter injuries (48%) hitting the 18-29 age group, age is definitely a factor in increased risk for injury. Targeting city-wide safety campaigns at younger age groups may be key to getting the message across to those in the younger age bracket. Your safety matters, and there are ways to protect yourself.
Know Your (Safety) Enemy
Based upon electric scooter safety stats across all rider demographics, it’s helpful to highlight key enemies in the fight for micromobility safety. Keeping in mind that a helmet is a must-have safety practice for all riders, it’s important to highlight the JAMA study’s finding that more than 80% of electric scooter injuries were to the head, face and/or neck. So if only 4.4% of head-related injuries occurred in riders wearing a helmet, it could be argued that a massive portion of injuries are entirely preventable based upon simply wearing a helmet.
But what about the rest of the injuries these studies observed? More than one-third of injured riders sustained a bone fracture, per the APH study. Meanwhile, 70% of accidents observed by the APH study also involved injuries to the upper limbs – including the hands, wrists, arms or shoulders. While many of these incidents could have involved both upper extremity and head traumas, the important takeaway here is to slow down, wear a helmet and learn effective safety practices before the first spin on an electric scooter.
By educating riders about key electric scooter safety stats up front, you can lay a solid foundation for getting riders to abide by ideal safety practices and required protocols – securing a safer ride for all riders and a better program for your city.
To learn more, please visit our Resources section.
