Legal Landscape of E-Scooter Accidents in Pennsylvania
E-Scooters Offer a Fun Alternative to Cars and Buses But When Accidents and Injuries Occur, Understanding the Landscape of Liability and Your Rights in PA is Vital.
Residents in large Pennsylvania cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, as well as smaller growing cities like Harrisburg, Allentown, Reading, Bethlehem, and Scranton are seeking more affordable and environmentally-friendly transportation alternatives to traveling shorter distances. Electric scooters can be a convenient alternative to cars or buses, though they are not permissible on all PA roadways.
Coined a “micro-mobility solution,” electric scooters allow people to get from point A to point B while avoiding traffic and, hopefully, having some fun in the process. There are a lot of companies like Lime, Spin, and Bird that have set up rentable scooter stations that allow customers to download an app, rent their scooter, and wheel away. This can be a very convenient solution for an individual who may not want to invest in purchasing their own scooter, worry about storing their scooter, or may want to use a scooter on an infrequent basis. E-scooters are also a great option for tourists who want to traverse a new city.
The Most Dangerous Threats to Electric Scooter Riders
Of course, this convenient transportation option is not exempt from the risk of accidents, which can involve pedestrians, other electric scooters, vehicles, or an unsafe road condition. One of the most serious types of accidents that a scooter can be involved in is a collision with a motor vehicle. These accidents are more likely to result in severe injuries. Scooter and motor vehicle accidents can happen at intersections if a vehicle fails to yield or doesn’t see a scooter in its path. If a scooter is making a turn or exiting a drive quickly, drivers around them might not have the scooter on their radar.
E-scooters also share a lot of pathways with pedestrians and accidents can occur if a path is too crowded and a scooter rider hits a pedestrian and unexpectedly steps out onto the path of a scooter. If the e-scooter is traveling too fast, then it might not be able to stop in time to avoid hitting a pedestrian or may quickly maneuver to avoid a pedestrian, causing the scooter to crash into something else.
The likelihood of e-scooter accidents also increases with the number of electric scooters in an area. While scooter renting stations make it easy for anyone to conveniently and spontaneously rent and use a scooter, this also means that there are an increasing number of scooter riders who may be very inexperienced in using a scooter to travel in an urban setting. Pathways crowded with e-scooters require all of the riders to be able to safely maneuver around each other.
Unsafe road conditions like debris in the road, uneven pavement, or potholes can create injury-inducing hazards for scooter drivers. E-scooter accidents can also be caused by equipment failures if a scooter’s braking, motor, or battery systems are not working properly. These problems can lead to brake failure for a scooter rider or cause them to lose control of the scooter. Finally, just like any other mode of transportation, if a scooter rider has poor visibility due to bad weather conditions, then they may fail to see vehicles, pedestrians, other e-scooters, or hazards on the roadway, leading to an accident.
Types and Extent of Injuries Resulting from E-Scooter Accidents
Whereas drivers and passengers of motor vehicles are surrounded by the sheet metal of the car, E-scooter riders are low to the ground and completely exposed. E-scooters might not travel as fast as a car or motorcycle, but the vehicles around them may be traveling at high speeds. Accidents suffered in e-scooter accidents can range from minor knee lacerations to fatal injuries like traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, and fatal bleeding. Some of the most common e-scooter accident-related injuries are sprained or broken ankles and wrists.
Local Laws and Safety Involving Electric Scooters in PA
The law in PA on electric scooters is evolving. Classified as motor-driven cycles, and therefore subject to the same laws as motorcycles, there are major issues with e-scooter effectively being banned in PA because they cannot reach the minimum speed of 15-20 mph, which applies to motorcycles. Legislation was passed that now allows cities and municipalities to establish their own electric low-speed scooter programs. Individuals in PA interested in operating an electric scooter should check the current rules in their local area and stay up to date on the legal changes in this area. With that said, even where electric scooters cannot be operated, they are still frequently used by many people, so it is imperative to be aware of e-scooters you may encounter. Individuals under the age of 21 must wear a helmet. Electric scooters must be registered and riders must have a Class M driver’s license.
Protecting Your Rights After a PA E-Scooter Accident
If you are injured in an electric scooter accident, you should first make sure that you move to a safe place and then call the police to file an accident report. If you have your phone or camera with you, take photographs of the accident scene and any damage to the electric scooter. It might also be helpful to take photos of any relevant traffic signs, traffic lights, or other road features that can help to illustrate how the accident occurred.
If you believe that your injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, like a car failing to brake or yield for you, then you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. This process involves filing an insurance claim, gathering evidence, and seeking legal counsel.
Contact an Accomplished Pennsylvania E-Scooter Accident Lawyer for a Free Case Review
If you have been injured in Pennsylvania in an electric scooter accident, consulting with a personal injury lawyer is of great importance in determining whether you have a claim for damages and how much compensation you are entitled to. Our Pennsylvania E-scooter accident attorneys can handle all of the negotiations with insurance companies to ensure that you are treated fairly and that you recover as much of your damages as possible. Sometimes, these cases can be negotiated out of court, and sometimes they must be litigated.
Obtaining experienced legal counsel from our firm early will ensure that your claim is handled as efficiently as possible and allow you to be made whole again. For a complimentary consultation and review of your case involving an electric scooter accident in Pennsylvania, including in Levittown, Fairless Hills, Newtown, Doylestown, Horsham, Bensalem, and towns throughout Northeast Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, please contact our team of knowledgeable e-scooter injury lawyers today at (215) 337-4915 or fill out our online form to start working on your injury case.