Nighttime and Weekend Woes: A Three-Year Review of E-Scooter Accidents in Germany, mainly among Men and Often Involving Alcohol
Regular occurrence of Incidents involving Electric Scooters, particularly during evenings and weekends - Nightly and weekend mishaps persistently recurring
E-Scooter accidents causing serious injuries in Germany exhibit a distinct pattern: they are more frequent during nights and weekends, predominantly affect men, and often involve alcohol. These are the findings from an analysis of accident data spanning three years (2020-2022) conducted by a team led by Michael Zyskowski from the Clinic and Polyclinic for Trauma Surgery at the Technical University of Munich (TUM).
According to the study, published in the "German Medical Journal," a total of 538 severely injured individuals due to E-Scooter accidents were registered in the German Society for Trauma Surgery’s trauma registry. Over 83% of them required intensive care, resulting in 26 deaths.
Alcohol Consumption
"E-Scooter riders were found to be more prone to head injuries than cyclists and other road users," the team explains. "Of the top ten most common injuries, eight affected the head or face."
A startling 54% of accidents occurred at night, with half taking place on weekends. Moreover, 62% of the severely injured E-Scooter riders who were tested had alcohol in their system. In one-third (35%) of cases, the alcohol level exceeded the legal limit.
Men Predominance
Despite the average age of victims being around 44 years, this figure is lower when compared to similar severe accidents involving bicycles, where the average age was approximately 55 years. Additionally, 78% of the injured were males.
"Men, particularly younger ones, are disproportionately affected compared to accidents involving bicycles, cars, or pedestrians," Zyskowski stated in a TUM press release.
Proposed Safety Measures:
To combat this concerning trend, the research team proposes targeted safety measures such as:
- Helmet Requirements
- Encouraging mandatory helmet usage, especially for children, could reduce the number of head injuries.
- Reduced Availability at Night and High-Risk Areas
- Limiting e-scooter availability during nighttime hours and at accident hotspots could help reduce accidents.
- Speed Limitation
- Lowering the maximum speed of e-scooters in high-risk areas or during certain hours could boost safety.
- Reaction Tests
- Carrying out reaction tests as part of the rental process can help minimize alcohol-related accidents.
These measures, while not yet tested in Germany, have shown promising results in countries like Australia and Norway. However, their effectiveness remains to be seen.
- The study on e-scooter accidents in Germany conducted by Michael Zyskowski and his team found that over 83% of severely injured individuals required intensive care.
- The research publication, which appeared in the "German Medical Journal", revealed a total of 538 cases of serious e-scooter injuries over a three-year period (2020-2022).
- The analysis highlighted a common trend in e-scooter accidents in Germany, with 54% occurring at night and half taking place on weekends.
- The team's findings showed that 62% of the severely injured E-Scooter riders who were tested had alcohol in their system.
- In one-third (35%) of cases, the alcohol level exceeded the legal limit.
- The study revealed that men, particularly younger ones, are disproportionately affected by e-scooter accidents compared to other road users or vehicle types, with 78% of the injured being male.
- The average age of victims was around 44 years, which is lower than the 55-year average for similar severe accidents involving bicycles.
- In response to this concerning trend, the team proposed several safety measures to reduce the number of e-scooter accidents.
- One proposed safety measure is to mandate helmet usage, particularly for children, as it could reduce the number of head injuries.
- Another safety measure suggested is limiting e-scooter availability during nighttime hours and at accident hotspots.
- Lowering the maximum speed of e-scooters in high-risk areas or during certain hours was also proposed as a potential safety boost.
- Carrying out reaction tests as part of the rental process could help minimize alcohol-related accidents.
- These measures, while not yet tested in Germany, have shown promising results in countries like Australia and Norway.
- However, the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen.
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