On Tuesday, October 22, 2019, Lime dropped 360 electric ride-share scooters around the city. The launch of the program followed an agreement with city leaders who hope the plan will help with the city’s green energy and alternative transportation goals.
Safety was the primary concern of the city council as they also adopted a new ordinance aimed at preventing accidents. These new rules prohibit riding e-scooters on sidewalks, obeying existing traffic laws and only parking in designated e-scooter parking spots.
For its part, Lime says that it wants to follow the city councils’ new rules for the safety of pedestrians and scooter riders. Lime will be adding 40 more scooters to its fleet total with some going to the University of Kentucky campus.
Are Electric Scooters Dangerous?
A Lime e-scooter can travel up to 20 mph without too much trouble, however, the city set a speed limit of 15MPH. However, 15MPH is still fast enough to get severely injured.
If Lexington follows suit with other similar programs, then the city will see in increase in injuries to local trauma centers from accident with motor vehicles including impaired drivers. While no official studies have been done on e-scooter accidents, local officials in a couple of cities in the U.S. looked at the number and type of injuries, and bone fractures and head injuries are very common.
Most people are injured by falling off of the scooters. If you haven’t rode a scooter in 25 years and you hop on one there’s a very good chance that you’re going to be a little rusty. The scooters have tiny little wheels which can get hung up on small pebbles and cracks in the pavement. Front wheels slide on gravel. People fall. That faster you’re going, the more it is going to hurt.
Lexington’s e-scooter riders are supposed to stay off of sidewalks to prevent injuring pedestrians. Drivers not used to seeing scooters can hit riders. While this hasn’t been a huge problem in most cities there have indeed been scooter riders hit by DUI and distracted drivers from time to time.
Helmets are also not required in Kentucky. Helmets are always a good idea though, and in some cases could prevent a skull fracture.
Do you need a lawyer after a Scooter Injury?
When you rent a scooter via the scooter app, you sign a waiver and other disclaimers. However, if you were seriously injured by someone else, such as a distracted driver, you should consult with an attorney. Scooter accidents are like bicycle accidents and insurers will often try o blame you for your injuries, even if someone else caused them.
If you have questions about a vehicle vs scooter accident, consult a qualified and experienced Lexington Personal Injury Lawyer. With over 100 years of combined experience, the legal team at the office of Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC has been faithfully representing Kentucky and Indiana injury victims, winning their clients substantial settlements and verdicts.
