E-Scooter Safety

Electric Scooter Safety

Electric scooters, or E-Scooters, are a popular way to travel, but unsafe riding and collisions can cause serious injuries.

Understanding E-Scooter Risks

E-scooters are a popular mode of transportation, especially around major urban cities. It’s important to prioritize safety while riding them. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned rider, taking precautions and following guidelines can help ensure a safe ride.

Data from a recent HIPRC study shows that e-scooter related medical encounters have increased between 2020-2023. The increase in injuries was likely driven by several factors, including greater use of e-scooters in Seattle.

Injuries associated with e-scooter use include fractures, head trauma, and facial injuries. Learn more about how to prevent these injuries by browsing the tabs on this page.

Sources: Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC); Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).

Stay safe on your ride!

From 2023 to 2024, there was nearly a 36% increase in e-bike and e-scooter related injuries in Seattle, according to the Harborview Medical Center Trauma Registry. Ride responsibly for yourself and others. Many accidents can be prevented by simply slowing down. Always be aware of your surroundings and be prepared to stop.

The following are safety tips for riding an e-scooter, including guidance on pre-ride prep, riding rules, safe riding behavior, and weather-related tips:

Pre-Ride Prep & Equipment Checks:

  • Check for Damage: before riding, ensure the handlebars, brakes, throttle, bell, lights, tires, cables, and frame are in good condition. Damage to the e-scooter can cause you to lose control and crash.
  • Test the Device: make sure you know how to use the brakes and how long it takes to stop the e-scooter so you’re prepared for an emergency stop.
  • Dress Properly: wearing closed-toed shoes plus bright, reflective clothing (especially at night) can help decrease your chances of injury.
  • Wear a Helmet: wearing a helmet while riding an electric scooter can help decrease the risk of traumatic brain injuries.

Riding Rules & Traffic Behavior

  • Follow Road Rules: follow all traffic laws and stay in the bike lane when possible.
  • Know where to Ride: If possible, ride in the bicycle lane, since the risk of injury increases on both sidewalks and on roads with vehicles. If there is no bicycle lane, some cities advise you to ride on the road if the speed limit is 25 mph or lower or on the sidewalk if the speed limit is higher. Know the rules before you ride!
  • Yield to Pedestrians: slow down, use your voice or the bell when passing.
  • One Person per Scooter: additional riders increase the risk and severity of collisions.

Safe Riding Behavior

  • Hands On, ALWAYS: always keep both hands on the handlebars and keep items off the handlebars.
  • Avoid Alcohol: avoid alcohol and/or any substances that may impair your ability to operate the scooter before riding.
  • Avoid Distractions: always stay alert and remove any distractions before your ride. Note: talking on your phone, listening to music, even talking with others can distract your and prevent you from hearing the environment.
  • Alert Others & Be Seen: e-scooters are small, quick, and silent, making it difficult for others to spot you, especially in parking lots and structures.
    • Expect vehicles and pedestrians to not see you; slow down, and plan ahead of time
    • Use the bell/horn to alert others
    • Do not make abrupt, unpredictable movements
    • In Washington State, every motorized foot scooter must be equipped with a lamp on the front that emits a white light visible at a distance of at least five hundred (500) feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear (must be approved by the State Patrol) that shall be visible from all distances up to six hundred (600) feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle (S. M. C. 11.46.020).
  • Watch out for Obstacles: uneven surfaces, cracks, and small objects on your pathway can stop the e-scooter suddenly, throwing you off.
  • Slow and Steady: slow down and lean back when you have to ride over bumps.

Weather-Related Tips:

  • Ride cautiously in icy and/or snowy conditions.
  • Take extra care while riding on bridges/overpasses or shadowed areas that are first to freeze and last to melt.
  • Brake slowly, not suddenly.
  • Avoid riding on ice or deep snow whenever possible.
  • Avoid making sharp turns on ice.
  • Consider taking other means of transportation, such as transit, during icy and/or snowy conditions. 

Sources: Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); AAA; SDOT; Seattle Municipal Code.

Know the Laws.

Knowing the rules before your ride, can help keep you and others safe.

Sources: SDOT; AAA; American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Laws vary by city and district, and some places prohibit riding scooters on sidewalks.

If possible, ride in the bicycle lane, since the risk of injury increases on both sidewalks and on roads with vehicles. If there is no bicycle lane, some cities advise you to ride on the road if the speed limit is 25 mph or lower or on the sidewalk if the speed limit is higher.

E-scooters are allowed on roads with speed limits up to 25 mph, bike lanes, and shared-use paths. They are prohibited on sidewalks, city-owned or controlled parking lots, city parks, and roadways with speed limits over 25 mph.

Learn more here:  (S.M.C. 11.46.010).

The American Academy of Pediatrics stresses that children under 16–who are too young to have a driver’s license―should not operate or ride on motorized or electric scooters. In some cities, it is illegal for kids under 16 to use an e-scooter.

 In Seattle, no person under sixteen years of age may operate a gas motorized foot scooter on a roadway, shoulder or alley (S.M.C. 11.46.020).

Electric Bicycles

Electric bicycles, or e-bikes, are more popular than ever. As micromobility (small, lightweight transportation like scooters and e-bikes) options grow across the U.S., so do concerns about e-bike injuries and rider safety. For more on electric bicycle safety, click here >>

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This website is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician. No physician-patient relationship is created by this website or its use. Neither HIPRC, the University of Washington, nor its employees, nor any contributor to this website, makes any representations, express or implied, with respect to the information provided herein or to its use.