ePilot Blog: What to do in case of an e scooter accident!

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Posted 17 Jul 2019

Reading time: 5 Minutes

So you had an accident -now what?!

For a list of contact links from top e scooter providers simply scroll to the end of the article.

E Scooters and Accidents

E Scooters have been in Berlin for about 2 months now and it has been reported by RBB that there are already 4,800 e scooters out on the streets. The new, fun, and toy-like form of transportation has everyone excited. However, this feeling of childlike joy and wonder can fade fast when you get your first skinned knee of summer. More importantly to note, not that many toys you had as a kid were capable of going 20 mph. A handful of accidents have already been reported across Berlin, Munich and other cities.

The accidents has lead to Christian Kellner, general manager of the German Road Safety Council speak to the DPA and insist, "If the accident situation continues to deteriorate and more people with head injuries and fractures are admitted to hospitals, we need to consider compulsory helmets”.

However this is not the opinion held by all. As most accidents that have occurred have involved cars, Alexander Jung, senior associate in new mobility at Agora, sees another solution moving forward.

"I don’t see it coming in Germany to be honest," he told The Local. "I don’t think helmets will be a fix to this problem, I also find it quite surprising that a car runs over a scooter rider then we call for stronger regulation of scooters. The actual problem is too much car traffic and too many private vehicles in the city."

That being said, accidents are unavoidable so if you find yourself involved in an accident follow these steps to ensure the safety of yourself and those around you.

What to do in case of an accident

The first thing that you should do after an electric scooter accident is to get to a safe area.

First and foremost! After an accident the best thing to do is make sure you are out of harm's way. If an accident happened in a street you can get yourself to a sidewalk where you can perform the next steps without the fear of causing further issues with traffic or injury.

Check to see if other people were involved in the electric scooter accident.

The e scooter accident could involve a motor vehicle, another scooter, a pedestrian, a cyclist, a skateboarder or even a motorcyclist. After you are out of harm’s way you can see if there is another person that could need your help. Verbally check to see if they are also ok.

Call the police.

The police will collect everyone’s information and file a report. While you wait for the police to arrive you can start the information collection process.

Medical Attention

If you don’t receive medical attention at the scene of the accident, you should visit an emergency room after filing a police report. At the very least, you should see your family doctor within 24 hours of the accident.

Legal Council

Talk to a lawyer if you need to see legal council

Contact the E Scooter Provider?

It appears the way in which providers want you to handle the situation is through the proper police authorities first. However, there could be instances where you might need to contact the e scooter provider. For example, if the machine is damaged in the accident, what do you do? If you need to leave the scene and you are still logged into you scooter will you have to pay the charges that are incurred?

Buried in the help section of Lime’s website is a phone number you are suggested to call after reporting accidents to the proper authorities. It seems like e scooter companies are trying to keep accidents as not their problem. The terms of agreements are heavily packed with information regarding that liability that places the majority of issues as the responsibility of the rider.

Conclusion

Follow traffic laws and remember safety first. It is optional to wear a helmet in Germany but it is advised. For the most part the best plan of action is to deal with the issue with local authorities.

In the united states there are even attorney offices that are promoting their specializations for accidents dealing with e Scooters.