traffic - E-Scooter Accident Risk: Number of Fatalities Doubles
Young people and large cities: These are two factors that play a significant role in accidents involving E-Scooters. According to the Statistical Office in Wiesbaden, approximately 42 percent of injured E-Scooter riders were under 25 years old in the previous year, and 80 percent were under 45 years old.
Particularly many accidents occur in cities - around 60 percent of all E-Scooter incidents were recorded in cities with at least 100,000 inhabitants. More than one third of E-Scooter accidents resulting in personal injury occurred in cities with at least half a million inhabitants. However, the share of Pedelecs was 12.3 percent, and for bicycles without a motor, it was 26.3 percent.
Doctors see problems with scooters
According to Christopher Spering, senior physician at the University Hospital Goettingen's Department of Trauma Surgery and Orthopedics, there is a problem with the approval from the age of 14. Adolescents who are still several years away from obtaining a driver's license are often unable to assess the behavior of car or truck drivers correctly. "This means they can evaluate much worse how one behaves, so that drivers can even notice or see them at all. And that's a big challenge," Spering told the German Press Agency.
However, the scooters themselves are already a source of danger. "The wheels are extremely small, but we have a long handlebar, which, however, is relatively narrow in width. And in addition, I cannot indicate turn signals properly because one-handed driving is extremely dangerous," Spering said.
The lack of helmets is also a problem: At rental E-Scooters, there are no helmets attached to the handlebars, and I rarely wear a helmet when exploring a city. The surgeon concludes: "The vehicle itself poses inherent risks, and that's why it's not surprising that injury and death rates are high."
Deaths doubled
The police registered 9,425 E-Scooter accidents with personal injury in Germany in 2023 - an increase of 14.1 percent from the previous year (8,260 accidents). With 22 deaths, the number of people who died in accidents also doubled (2022: 11 deaths).
1,220 people were seriously injured, and 8,911 were lightly injured. The majority (83 percent) of the injured were using the E-Scooter themselves, including 21 of the 22 fatalities.
"We are seeing an increasing number of severe head-brain traumas," Spering said. This could be related to the use of scooters, he said. The devices are often used in the evening hours and under the influence of alcohol - "which is, of course, a combination that tends to lead to more severe injuries because reaction times are significantly reduced."
Misconduct of riders is often the cause of accidents
This assessment aligns with the data of the statisticians: The Federal Office named incorrect use of the road or the sidewalk as the most common reasons for accidents. E-Scooter users should, where available, use bike lanes or pedestrian paths. Otherwise, they should ride on roads or side streets, and riding on sidewalks is prohibited.
Just as frequently, driving under the influence of alcohol was the cause of the accident, according to the Federal Office. The third most common cause: Many drivers were going too fast, followed by disregard for right of way.
Oftentimes these are collisions
More than 9,000 E-Scooter accidents were recorded, and a third of these were solo accidents – meaning there were no other parties involved. Twelve of the 21 people killed on E-Scooters died in solo accidents.
In approximately two-thirds (6,115) of the E-Scooter accidents with personal injury, there was another traffic participant involved, most often a female driver or male driver (3,930 accidents). For comparison, only 913 accidents involved bicyclists.
The pre-accident incidents caused by carelessly parked E-Scooters were not recorded in the accident statistics. In some cities, parking is now only allowed on designated collection areas.
- The Statistical Office of the Federation in Wiesbaden reported that 42% of injured E-Scooter riders were under 25 years old last year, and 80% were under 45 years old.
- The majority of E-Scooter accidents resulting in personal injury occurred in cities with at least 100,000 inhabitants, while Pedelecs and bicycles without a motor had a higher share of accidents in smaller cities.
- Christopher Spering, a senior physician at the University Hospital Goettingen's Department of Trauma Surgery and Orthopedics, expressed concerns about the age of E-Scooter riders and the design of the scooters themselves, which he believes contribute to the high rates of injuries and deaths.
- In 2023, the police registered 9,425 E-Scooter accidents with personal injury in Germany, an increase of 14.1% from the previous year, with 22 deaths, double the number in 2022.
- Spering noted that there is an increasing number of severe head-brain traumas related to E-Scooter use, which could be due to the devices often being used in the evening hours and under the influence of alcohol.
- The Federal Office found that incorrect use of the road or sidewalk, driving under the influence of alcohol, and going too fast were the most common causes of E-Scooter accidents, followed by disregard for right of way.
- More than 6,000 E-Scooter accidents with personal injury involved another traffic participant, most often a female or male driver, while over a third of the accidents were solo accidents, resulting in 12 of the 21 fatalities.
