Electric scooters may soon become a convenient mode of transportation in Buffalo, according to The Buffalo News. The New York State Assembly and Senate are in the process of considering this year’s budget, including adding potential provisions that would modernize state transportation. One provision would allow cities throughout New York State to implement their own rules regarding electric scooters.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, who advocates for electric scooters, sees this as a way to alleviate the state’s transportation challenges. Electric scooters would allow commuters to get from point A to point B without following public transportation schedules or paying for parking. In addition, they would take more cars off the road — potentially eliminating traffic congestion in the cities.

While residents of Buffalo may reap the benefits of electric scooters, they must also understand the associated crash risks.

Safety precautions Buffalo can learn from other cities

Electric scooters have become increasingly popular in cities across the United States and other parts of the world. With this growing popularity, many injuries have also been reported.

An article by Today points one incident in London involving a YouTube star, who did after her scooter collided with a truck.

In another incident, one person sustained a serious head injury in Austin, Texas while commuting to a Paul McCartney concert. There were reportedly no helmets on site and the scooter had a speed limit of 15 miles per hour. But the crash was caused by a defective brake.

The Today article also reports that injuries to the face and head tripled over the last decade. According to a study conducted by researchers at Rutgers University, there were approximately 2,325 incidents reported in 2008 involving electric scooter crashes. In 2018, that number was 6,957 incidents. In 66 percent of those incidents, riders weren’t wearing helmets.

Dr. Boris Paskhover, co-author of the study, explained what prompted him to conduct research on the dangers of electric scooters.

“Visit a city and you’ll see people whizzing by and none of them have protective headgear,” Paskhover said.

Regulation is key to safety

Since the rise of electric scooters, many states have begun establishing safety rules. For example, New Jersey now requires electric scooter riders under age 17 to wear helmets.

According to an article by EHS Today, helmets for electric scooters are free and available, but riders must request them through the app, pay shipping, and wait about a week for them to arrive.

Those who are using electric scooters on the fly or for the first time may not have the luxury of waiting for a helmet to arrive in the mail.

In order to remedy this problem, the EHS Today article suggests that companies establish central pickup and drop off locations, as opposed to allowing users to leave electric scooters anywhere on the street. In addition, scooters should be checked for defects by on-site employees and helmets and safety gear should be provided.

Until electric scooters become established in Buffalo, it’s important that residents and visitors consider the risks of using electric scooters and be prepared to ride safely. In the event of a crash, it’s important that you speak to an experienced attorney dedicated to holding negligent parties accountable.

To find out what your legal options are, contact the Law Offices of James Morris and set up a free case evaluation.