According to 2nd Street, Los Angeles is the first city in the U.S. to break the milestone of three million scooter rides on Lime brand electric scooters alone, which is quite a feat considering of the three scooter companies licensed to operate in the city, they have the fewest number at 5,500. Comparatively, Bird has 6,500 scooters, and Spin 10,500 throughout Los Angeles.
At Binder & Associates, our Encino, California scooter accident lawyers are keeping a close eye on the e-trend, and the injuries that result from the popular riding program.
In Los Angeles, It Is More Than The Scooter Rider Who Is At Risk For Injury
Last fall, a 28-year-old man received L.A.’s first scooting under the influence conviction. Like most motorized vehicles, it is illegal to ride a scooter while intoxicated in Los Angeles County. However, it was not the criminal component of the story that caught our Encino scooter accident attorneys’ attention.
Driving any vehicle while intoxicated is reckless, at very least, but the man was also operating the device on the sidewalk — an unpermitted path for any and all scooters, as outlined by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation’s regulations that monitor the vehicles.
As a result, the scooter-riding man knocked down a 64-year old pedestrian who was leaving the theater and injured upon impact.
Pedestrian accidents are becoming an increasingly common side effect of scooter use throughout the city, and as more and more people become comfortable with riding the popular devices, so too will the injuries to both riders and pedestrians.
How Can I Hold A Scooter Rider (Or Company) Responsible For My Injuries?
When a scooter rider, or the company itself, fail to take reasonable care while using the transportation device, there are numerous ways to demonstrate negligence, including:
- Scooter riders operating on sidewalks or other pedestrian-only paths
- Abandoning scooters in walkways or other dangerous locations where it becomes a tripping hazard
- Distracted riding, including texting, searching the internet or snapping pictures
- Failure to obey traffic signs and signals
- Riding recklessly and carelessly by not paying attention to the surroundings
All operators are obligated to follow the rules of the road in order to keep themselves, and others, safe from harm. If you have been injured while riding a scooter, or by someone who is negligently operating a scooter, contact our accomplished Encino, California personal injury attorneys at Binder & Associates today by calling (626) 247-3123 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your injuries, and learn how we can help you design a strategic case to pursue financial results.
