Tempe Scooter Accident Lawyer

Tempe Scooter Accident Lawyer

Since 2018, Tempe has experienced an increase in electric scooters as a new, convenient, and rapid mode of transportation. While they might be convenient, falling off your Bird scooter in downtown Tempe while avoiding a curb is dangerous.

First responders and hospital officials say scooters are increasingly causing severe injuries. According to the Tempe Fire Department, the situation worsens at the beginning of the school year. 

Due to the high number of scooter injuries that Tempe firefighters received, the department set up a special tab in its records system. The department averages 29 service calls per month. If someone else caused your accident, consult The Sorenson Law Firm, LLC for a personal injury case, you may be eligible for compensation for pain and suffering or other damages.

Tempe Ordinances & State Laws

The Tempe City Council passed updated codes for scooters, bicycles, and anything else with wheels that isn’t a vehicle in September 2019. They approved new rules to improve pedestrian and e-scooter safety, including keeping them off sidewalks. 

Scooters are now subject to updated rules in Tempe, including:

• Using bike lanes
• The speed limit in the street must be 25 mph or less
• If no bicycle lanes are available, the speed limit is 25+ mph on the sidewalk
• Children may ride on the sidewalk with their guardians’ consent, and the guardians may also ride on the sidewalk when accompanying a minor
• Must ride with traffic flow
• If passing a pedestrian, yield right-of-way, slow down to 5 mph, and give an audible signal.
• Helmets are required for riders under 18 when riding a scooter.

Electric Scooter Accidents in Tempe

These devices can reach 30 km/h and more when moving downhill. The only measure of protection for an electric scooter rider is flimsy at best. A few common electric scooter accident scenarios include:

• Scooter crashing into a pedestrian, bicyclist, or motor vehicle
• Scooters tripping pedestrians
• Left turn accidents 
• “Doored.” scooters ride
• Injury to scooter riders because of defects on the road
• Faulty or poorly maintained scooters

Tempe Scooter Accident Injuries

Electric scooters are low off the ground, and riders are prone to stepping off them in risky situations; therefore, lower extremity injuries are frequent. Besides, unlike drivers, scooters lack safety features that would protect them in a collision. 

Scooter accident injuries include:

• Brain Injuries: concussions, hematomas, and skull fractures
• Spine damage
• A soft-tissue injury
• Fractures and broken bones
• Road rash: Scooterists may develop road rash after sliding across the pavement in a collision. Objects may also cause cuts, scrapes, and lacerations. 

Who Pays for Compensation?

There is no legal precedent for these new modes of transportation. But as more injury cases are filed and prosecuted, we will have to see how these waivers of liability fare in court.” 

In their rental agreements, Bird and Lime, the two largest scooter companies in the U.S., state that riders relieve the companies of any liability in the event of an accident. To ride, customers must agree to those terms.

Bird fully covers riders for any damage caused by a faulty scooter, while Lime’s insurance policy covers each claim up to $1 million in liability. Each claim is unique, so there is no way to know whether it is covered without an investigation.

Have You Been Injured in a Tempe Scooter Accident? Contact Us

In a scooter accident, you may break several bones, suffer scrapes and bruises, and need surgery. Recovery might take several months, and it will hurt every day. No matter who caused the electric scooter accident, we welcome all parties who have been injured to pursue a personal injury case. 

A compensation claim may still be possible if a third party was even slightly responsible for the accident. Contact us today at 480 839 9500 and schedule a free consultation with the top personal injury attorneys in Tempe.

FAQs

• Where do I ride my scooter in Tempe?

Scooters must use bike lanes whenever available or on the street at speeds under 25 mph. Scooters are allowed on the sidewalk in areas without bike lanes and with a speed limit greater than 25 mph.

• Are Bird Scooters available in Tempe?

Yes. The Bird app allows users to rent Bird Two e-scooters in Tempe and Mesa. There are now exclusive Bird Two e-scooter rental fleets in Mesa and Tempe

• Does Tempe have Lime scooters?

The company pulled out of Tempe after the city approved new regulations it deemed too restrictive for its electric scooters and dock less bicycles.

• How many people have been injured by electric scooters?

According to the Department of Consumer Protection Safety Commission, electric scooter injuries have increased by 70% in the past few years. 

• What are the injuries associated with standing electric scooter use?

The most common injuries are head injuries. According to a JAMA study, out of scooter riders under the age of 18, only 4.4% were wearing helmets at the time of the accident. Fractures and soft tissue injuries were also common. 

• Are electric scooters safe for kids?

Electric scooters are not recommended for children under the age of 6. Safety for older children is improved when the scooter is sized appropriately, and children wear the proper protective gear.