If you live in a city, you may have seen people zooming around on Bird electric scooters. Bird is a company that manufacturers e-scooters for sale or rent. Scooters are available to rent continuously for a month or, in cities that allow it, a single-ride basis, similar to bike-sharing programs also common in many cities. Bird also has competitors such as Spin, Lime, and JUMP.
Electric scooters are touted as an alternative for people looking for eco-friendly modes of transportation. Since e-scooters run on batteries, they do not produce carbon emissions the way that many automobiles do. E-scooters reach speeds of about 15 to 20 miles per hour. This makes them more attractive to commuters but can also contribute to injuries in the event of an accident.
What Causes E-Scooter Injuries?
Occasionally, pedestrians are injured due to e-scooter riders crashing into them or from tripping over a scooter that its rider has not parked properly. However, most e-scooter injuries involve riders. Some injuries result from riders not following the rules, such as carrying a passenger on the scooter when the company rules forbid this. Bird has rules prohibiting riders under 18, yet these accounted for 11% of all injuries in one study. However, scooter injuries can also result due to factors beyond the rider’s control, such as defective equipment, damage to infrastructure, or the behaviors of others involved in the accident, such as another scooter rider or the driver of a car.
If the rider hits his or her head in a scooter accident, it can cause a traumatic brain injury. One of the head injuries frequently mentioned in reports about scooter accidents is bleeding in the brain. Depending on the laws of the community, scooter riders may or may not be required to wear helmets. In at least one instance, Bird supported legislation to make helmets optional for adult riders.
What Should You Do After an E-Scooter Accident?
As soon as possible, call 911 to report the accident to the police and obtain medical attention for yourself or anyone who is involved in the accident and may need it. Even if you do not appear to be seriously injured, seek medical attention as soon as possible after the accident. Symptoms of severe injuries do not always show up right away. Gather as many details about the accident as soon as you can. Find out if there were security cameras recording the accident, get contact information from witnesses, and take pictures of the scene.
It may be possible to hold the scooter company liable for the accident if the cause was faulty equipment. Contact a lawyer, like a personal injury lawyer from Darrell Castle and Associates, PLLC, if you have been injured in an accident involving a Bird e-scooter.
