Much to the delight of some who live in the urban core of Miami, the City Commission recently passed a measure that allows six popular 
electric scooter companies to operate on a six-month trial program in District Two, which covers most of Coconut Grove, Brickell, Downtown, Morningside, and Edgewater. These scooters have already been operating legally in other parts of town such as Coral Gables, which was the first city in the state of Florida to legally allow the scooters. Now that they are available in the ever-growing Downtown Miami area, we need to focus heavily on electric scooter safety.
Electric Scooter Rules of Operation
In the City of Miami, there are now 300 dockless scooter rentals available around District Two. The six electric scooter companies that are legally operating are Bird, Jolt, Jump, Lime, Lyft, and Spin. The Miami Parking Authority will be the regulating body in charge of policing these types of vehicles on the street.
The current rules for operation are as follows:
- You must be 18 to operate an electric scooter.
- No helmet is required, but you should always wear one.
- Only ride on streets, sidewalks, or bike lanes.
- No passengers are allowed on the scooter with you.
- You should yield to pedestrians and alert them when passing.
- You cannot take the scooters out of District Two.
Accidents, Injuries, and Electric Scooter Safety
Unfortunately, electric scooters are not completely safe vehicles. The fact that they are readily available can be a positive thing for commuters, but it can also mean that a lot of inexperienced drivers are operating the scooters on busy sidewalks and roadways. Not all scooter drivers place safety as a priority, and this can cause a dangerous situation for the scooter operator, but also for any pedestrians on a sidewalk. With more scooters on the streets, drivers must also pay extra attention to these additional vehicles.
Falls off scooters can cause injuries ranging from minor scrapes and bruises to major head trauma or broken bones. In fact, there have even been deaths reported from electric scooter accidents. In San Diego, a man was killed after his scooter hit a tree. In addition, other fatalities were reported last year in Dallas, D.C., Chula Vista, California, and Cleveland. According to a study by the JAMA Network Open, a peer-reviewed medical journal, as published in Time Magazine Online, head injuries and bone fractures were the most common injuries resulting from scooter accidents.
Of course, falls off the scooter are not the only danger, but tripping over one can pose a risk of injury as well. It’s important that pedestrians now pay extra attention as they walk on the sidewalks so that they are not on a collision course with an electric scooter, whether in motion or parked.
Additional safety tips for electric scooter use:
- Don’t rush on the scooter. Getting used to the operation is important for a safe ride. Take the time to practice using the scooter in a safe place before riding around others.
- Never use alcohol and drive a scooter.
- Never operate a scooter while distracted with a cell phone.
- Yield to pedestrians.
- Stay off the road as much as possible.
- Always be mindful of pedestrians and cars. Remember, drivers may not always see you in their blind spots. Make sure you make eye contact with drivers before moving in front of them.
- Do not use headphones or earbuds while driving a scooter.
- When you park the scooter, make sure that it is out of the way of pedestrian walkways.
- Be alert at all times when riding an electric scooter.
Safety should be a priority no matter what type of vehicle you are operating, and electric scooters are no exception. Just because helmets are not required does not mean that you shouldn’t wear one. Many injuries that result from accidents on scooters involve head trauma. The best way to prevent this type of injury is to wear a helmet.
If you are the victim of an accident where someone’s negligence led to your injuries, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. At Panter, Panter, and Samedpro, we offer a complimentary one-time consultation. Call us at 305-662-6178.
References:
Shammas, B. (2019, April 03). Dockless Scooters Are Coming Back to Miami Thanks to New Pilot Program. Retrieved from https://miaminewtimes.com/news/dockless-scooters-return-to-miami-for-six-month-pilot-program-by-commissioner-ken-russell-11137433
Vendors rush motorized scooters onto Miami streets. (2019, April 02). Retrieved from https://miamitodaynews.com/2019/04/02/vendors-rush-motorized-scooters-onto-miami-streets/
Jayson, S. (2019, February 05). Electric Scooters Are Popping Up in Cities Across the Country. But Are They Safe? Retrieved from http://time.com/5521308/electric-scooter-safety/
Don’t Let Your Electric Scooter Ride End in the ER. (2018, October 30). Retrieved from https://blog.cedars-sinai.edu/electric-scooters/
