Electric scooters have quickly become a staple of urban transport, offering a convenient, accessible, and often fun way to navigate busy streets. However, this surge in popularity has brought a sharp rise in e-scooter accidents and injuries. Understanding the statistics, particularly those from California and nationwide, is crucial for promoting defensive riding and road safety and may influence gift choices for 2025.

The Alarming Spike in California Injuries – The introduction of shared e-scooters in 2018 marked a dramatic shift in injury rates. Before 2018, the California region saw minimal e-scooter-related injuries, with the highest annual count being 13 in 2016 and the lowest being four in 2014. Once the shared mobility trend took hold, these numbers exploded:

2017: 12 reported injuries.

2018: 595 reported injuries.

2019: 672 reported injuries.

From 2014 to 2020, a total of 1,354 distinct injured patients were identified, with the majority being the scooter riders themselves. This data translates to an estimated 115 injuries for every 1 million e-scooter trips treated in California healthcare facilities—a sobering reminder of the inherent risks.

The spike in California mirrors a national trend. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which tracks injuries from micro-mobility products (e-scooters, e-bikes, etc.), the total estimated number of Emergency Room (ER) visits nationwide was 360,800 from 2017 to 2022. E-scooters account for nearly half of these incidents, with an estimated 169,300 injuries—or 46.92%—related specifically to them. The annual rise is steep:

• 2020: Approximately 25,000 ER visits.
• 2021: Just over 40,000 ER visits.
• 2022: An estimated 50,000 ER visits. To put this in perspective, e-bike injuries also rose, but totaled an estimated 25,000 in 2022. Overall, all micro-mobility products resulted in over 90,000 estimated ER visits in 2022—an increase of nearly 60,000 per year since 2017.

Who is Getting Injured and Where? The data also reveals key demographics about those involved in e-scooter accidents:

·       Age: The largest demographic injured (from 2017 to 2022) was those between the ages of 25 and 44, accounting for 40% of the injured, despite making up only 27% of the general census population. Young riders are also at risk, with 25% of injuries occurring to those aged 15 to 24.

·       Victims: An overwhelming 94% of e-scooter-related injuries occurred to the rider of the scooter.

·       Location: The vast majority—41%—of ER visits occurred after an accident on a street or highway.

California’s Rules – While accidents are often the result of inattentive drivers or poor road conditions, rider negligence can also play a role. The California Vehicle Code outlines essential requirements for operating motorized scooters to promote safety. Riders must ensure:

·       The scooter has working brakes.

·       They remain within the speed limit for the scooter’s class.

·       They have a valid driver’s license or learning permit.

·       They wear a helmet if they are under 18. (While not required for adults, wearing a helmet is strongly recommended for all riders to prevent serious head trauma.)

E-scooters offer a fantastic transportation alternative, but the statistics are a stark reminder that convenience must be balanced with caution. By following the rules of the road and prioritizing safety, we can all work to bring these accident rates down.

We represent people injured as a result of the careless and reckless acts of others. At the end of the day your case can only be settled one time and you need to know all of the facts beforehand. Insurance companies have paid our clients hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation because we uncover the facts. When insurance companies fail to offer full compensation, we are not intimidated at the prospect of going to trial. We help with serious injuries that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth, LLP. Our attorneys have more than 60 years of experience specializing in only representing injured people. Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 916-714-7672 or visit www.gblegal.com