Shared e-scooters have arrived in cities small and large, and have quickly become a popular way for people to get to where they need to go. But injury rates of riders in areas where they are deployed has raised flags for regulators, media, health professionals, researchers, and operators alike.

NABSA convened a webinar on Shared E-Scooter Safety on June 25, hosting a panel to discuss the public health and policy impacts of this new vehicle.

Dr. Tarak Trivedi is a physician at UCLA and a fellow in the National Clinician Scholars Program. He presented his study on injuries associated with shared e-scooters following their deployment in Santa Monica in 2017. He noted that their immediate popularity in the area led he and his colleagues to study injury rates as scooter riders came through two emergency rooms: Ronald Reagan Medical Center and Santa Monica Hospital. They included both riders and pedestrians in their study, and found a high proportion (40%) of head injuries. They also conducted observation of behavior on scooters and found a very low rate of helmet use (6%). About 8% of injuries were non-riders who collided with or tripped over a scooter.

Talia Pindyck, CDC, and David Zane, Austin Travis County Health and Human Services Department, co-presented on their study of shared e-scooter injuries in Austin. They conducted six months of surveillance on nine Austin hospitals and EMS calls, as well as follow up interviews with those possibly injured while using a shared e-scooter. Their findings included a high number of head injuries (48%) and only one person was wearing a helmet (<1%). Through the interview process, they were also able to obtain more information about circumstances around the incident causing injury, including excessive speed, surface conditions, and alcohol usage. They found that 33% of those injured were using an e-scooter for the first time.

Rachel Zack from Remix discussed how cities are encouraging safe scooter programs. Remix has compiled comparative information on how cities are regulating shared e-scooters, as well as examined the initial reports released by cities. She discussed a comprehensive and collaborative approach to shared e-scooter safety that includes infrastructure, equipment, education, and enforcement, similar to the Vision Zero framework many cities are also pursuing.

The Q&A included discussion of helmet usage, comparison to bicycle rider data and policy issues as well as further opportunities and need for study.

Speakers:

• Talia Pindyck, CDC
• David Zane, Austin Public Health Department
• Dr. Tarak Trivedi, UCLA
• Rachel Zack, Remix

View NABSA’s SHARED E-SCOOTER SAFETY PRINCIPLES AND RESOURCESView the Webinar RecordingDownload the Slide Deck (PDF)

Resources Mentioned on the Call

NABSA’s Shared E-scooter Safety Principles and Resources
Dr. Tarak Trivedi presented on this UCLA report: Injuries Associated With Standing Electric Scooter Use. 

Talia Pindyck, CDC & David Zane, Austin Travis County Health and Human Services Department, co-presented on this report: Dockless Electric Scooter-related Injuries Study. 

Rachel Zack mentioned the Remix Policy Blog and the Remix Micromobility Policy Database