San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog
The newest wave of ride sharing comes not in the form of cars or bicycles but rather in electric scooters. Dockless e-scooter companies like Bird, LimeBike, Jump, and others have found their homes in California and are expanding all across the country. With the advent of this entertaining and convenient form of transportation, however, comes a new wave of potentially dangerous activity and injury. Learn how to stay safe while riding these e-scooters by recognizing common causes of e-scooter injuries and by following the tips listed below.
Read the Instruction Manual
If you purchase an e-scooter for personal use, make sure you read the instruction manual before attempting to operate the scooter. Many e-scooter injuries occur because users do not know how to use the scooter properly.
If you are using a shared e-scooter like the Bird or LimeBike, make sure you read their safety guidelines online before renting one. Bird, LimeBike, and other scooter sharing companies abide by California laws regarding motorized scooters and have these guidelines posted on their websites.
Check the Scooter for Missing Parts or Abnormalities
Once you have read through the instruction manual or safety guidelines online, check that the scooter has all the parts and that the buttons function properly. One of the most common causes of scooter accidents is a malfunctioning vehicle, and one way to avoid this is by performing a safety check on the scooter before attempting to ride it. Of course, product malfunction is not always possible to detect, so if you do suffer injuries from a malfunctioning scooter, make sure to contact a San Francisco products liability attorney immediately.
Test Ride the Scooter
After checking your scooter for any missing parts or abnormalities, make sure you take the scooter for a test ride before going on any main roads. If you purchased a scooter to your home, test ride the scooter in your house or driveway. If you are renting a scooter, test ride it on an empty sidewalk or parking lot and make sure you are comfortable riding the scooter before going out onto the main roads.
Be a Mindful Rider
Similar to driving a car, you will want to be aware of your surroundings at all times while riding a scooter. Be mindful of the cars, bicycles, pedestrians, and other scooters around you, and always make yourself and your future actions known to those around you. If you plan to make a turn or change lanes, make sure you signal so those around you are aware of your course of action. We cannot always prevent accidents from happening, but being a mindful rider will decrease the chances that you or someone else gets injured on the road.
Scooter accidents can result in serious injuries like road rash, broken bones, concussions, and neck injuries, so make sure to follow these safety precautions while riding a Bird or other e-scooter. Unfortunately, following the proper safety guidelines and road rules is not always a guaranteed way to prevent injury, so make sure you have an experienced San Francisco personal injury lawyer from Brod Law Firm in your corner in case something goes wrong. If you or a loved one has been injured in an e-scooter accident, contact us online or at (800) 427-7020 for your free case evaluation today.
(image courtesy of Sam Poulain)