Cart is empty Electric Scooter Safety: A 13-Step Guide to Avoiding Injuries
Electric scooters have exploded in popularity in recent years as an eco-friendly and convenient form of urban transportation. However, safety concerns remain due to the lack of protective equipment and unstable nature of standing while riding. This comprehensive guide outlines 13 critical tips all riders should follow to stay safe and avoid injuries on electric scooters.
- Wear a Helmet A helmet is by far the most vital piece of safety equipment for electric scooter riders. According to a study published in JAMA Surgery, nearly a third of injured e-scooter riders suffered a head injury, which could have been prevented by wearing a helmet. Most cities and states don’t yet require helmets, but all riders should wear one regardless. Opt for a bicycle or skateboard helmet that meets national safety standards.
- Understand Electric Scooter Laws in Your Area
Regulations surrounding electric scooters remain loose and vary considerably depending on where you live. Some cities ban them from sidewalks, while others restrict riding after certain hours. Always familiarize yourself with local laws before hitting the streets. Apps like Spin offer insight into regulation in different cities too. Riding safely and legally go hand-in-hand.
3.stick to Bike Lanes Whenever Possible For maximum stability and safety, use bike lanes, roads with slower speed limits, and avoid vehicles when possible. Electric scooters don’t belong on sidewalks, unless expressly permitted. Scooting in the road alongside traffic poses threats too. Opt for bike lanes and paths ideally to avoid conflicts with cars and pedestrians.
- Limit Distractions Refrain from using phones, wearing headphones or engaging in other distracting activities while riding electric scooters. Distracted riding impairs balance and awareness of surroundings, prompting accidents according to a study in Injury Prevention. Give riding your full attention just like driving a car. Pull over safely if you need to use your phone or put in headphones.
- Learn to Fall Safely Since standing electric scooters carry inherent instability, learning to fall safely helps prevent serious injuries if you happen to crash or wipe out. Practice correct falling techniques like rolling, keeping your head protected and avoiding using your hands to brace yourself. Wrists easily shatter if riders catch their falls incorrectly. Know how to fall smoothly.
- Wear Bright Colors and Reflectors at Night Riding electric scooters at night poses added challenges for visibility. Ensure drivers and cyclists can spot you after dark by wearing high-visibility neon or yellow jackets plus adding reflectors to your helmet, scooter and clothing. LED lights also help, but shouldn’t replace bright reflective components for maximum night safety.
- Mind Speed Limits Electric scooters enable riders to zoom relatively quickly, but exceeding 15 mph starts getting dicey safety-wise. Faster speeds make crashes more violent and falls more likely. Obey posted limits laws in your area, and don’t override built-in speed governor limits in scooter firmware. Maintain reasonable speeds aligned with conditions too.
- Stay Sober Much like driving drunk severely impairs safety, scooting under the influence remains extremely dangerous as well. Intoxicated riding slows reaction times, hampers motor skills and impacts stability. Strictly avoid alcohol or recreational drugs before hopping aboard any electric scooter to preserve safety. Ride sober at all times.
- Stick to One Rider Nearly 70% of electric scooter injuries involved more than one rider according to the CDC. Overloading scooters by doubling up riders jeopardizes stability, braking and steering. Only allow one person per scooter at any time. Also avoid letting small kids ride adult electric scooters unsupervised. Enforce single ridership for safety.
- Account for Skill Level If you just started riding electric scooters, restrict yourself to flat surface protected areas without vehicle traffic until your skills progress. Rookies attempting busy urban roads or hills likely over-estimate abilities and risk crashes. Know your limits and don’t push beginner luck. Build skill and confidence slowly in lower-risk settings first.
- Master Defensive Techniques Practice emergency technique like sudden braking, evasive steering around obstacles and traversing uneven terrain at slow speeds regularly. Having defensive skills ready for the real world prevents accidents when the time comes. Also develop techniques allowing you to signal turns using just one hand without losing stability or control during rides.
- Keep Scooters Well-Maintained Faulty safety mechanisms like brakes or lighting on neglected electric scooters lead to increased accident rates. Inspect e-scooters before each ride and perform tire pressure, brake pad and other checks routinely to keep your vehicle safe. Don’t operate scooters in need of mechanical repairs that could fail at any moment.
- Wear Sturdy Shoes
Flip flops, sandals and bare feet provide zero protection in electric scooter mishaps. Fortify feet by wearing sturdy shoes with traction soles to prevent nasty spills caused by poor footgear. Proper shoes also enable better balance and stability while riding compared to flimsy sandals according to sports medicine research.
Safety Starts with Prepared & Defensive Riders Electric scooters continue gaining momentum across many urban landscapes, but safety concerns leave many potential riders wary. Following comprehensive precautions like wearing helmets, understanding regulations, operating carefully and taking defensive action prepares individuals to handle real-world riding conditions. Prioritize safety, wear protective gear, respect the vehicle and obstacles ahead, and remain prepared for the unexpected. What tactics do you use to stay safe on electric scooters? Share your insights and advice below!