It’s Springtime in Tulsa. Beware the Scooters.

If you are out and about in Tulsa, you most likely have noticed people making their way around town on electric scooters. While many residents and visitors think that electric scooters are a wonderful transportation option, these scooters are actually causing serious accidents and injuries among riders and pedestrians across the city. Since it is springtime and the summer months are quickly approaching, you should take the proper precautions and beware of the scooters zipping around and throughout various neighborhoods.

What are the laws for riding electric scooters in Tulsa, OK?

Accidents involving electric scooters are often caused by a person’s careless or reckless behavior. Therefore, in order to try to prevent these accidents from occurring, Tulsa has implemented several rules and regulations regarding electric scooters, which include:

• Anyone under 18 years of age must wear a helmet when operating an electric scooter.
• Electric scooters cannot be driven on the sidewalks in IDL, Brookside, or Cherry Street areas.
• Electric scooters must be driven on the right side of the roads, close to the curb, and in the bicycle lanes.
• Only one person can be on a scooter at a time.
• Electric scooter riders must yield to pedestrians and bicyclists.
• Electric scooters cannot be driven over 35 MPH.
• You must not operate an electric scooter while intoxicated.
• Electric scooter riders must follow all traffic signs and lights.
• You cannot pass vehicles between traffic lanes while on an electric scooter.
• Electric scooters cannot block sidewalks while parked.
• Electric scooter riders must follow private business rules when on their sidewalks or in their parking lots.

What leads to most e-scooter accidents in Tulsa?

Poor or negligent behavior by drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians can lead to a collision with an e-scooter, but many crashes are caused by the riders themselves. Among the more common causes include:

• Speeding or reckless behavior: When a person is riding on an electric scooter, they can cause an accident if they are speeding or driving recklessly. Riders must determine the proper speed for the area they are in, focus on the road, and drive carefully to prevent an accident.
• Distracted driving: If an individual is playing with their cell phone, listening to music, or eating while operating an electric scooter, they are participating in distracted driving. This can cause extreme risks not only to themselves, but also to pedestrians and bicyclists that they are sharing the roads with.
• Intoxicated driving: A person who has consumed alcoholic beverages or drugs should never get on an electric scooter. Alcohol or drug impairment can significantly delay reaction times and can cause an accident very quickly.
• Improper parking: E-scooters are not supposed to be dropped in the middle of the sidewalk or left leaning unsecured against objects or buildings. Doing so may lead people to trip; it can also cause the scooter to fall on someone. Improper parking also poses a challenge to people who need wheelchairs or adaptive devices.
• Lack of knowledge or experience: Inexperienced drivers can be dangerous no matter what the vehicle. They may dart into traffic or stop too suddenly and cause themselves to fall; if that fall happens in a roadway, it could potentially lead to a car crash as drivers swerve to avoid the fallen rider.
• Failure to wear helmet or other protective equipment: Tulsa requires individuals under the age of 18 to wear a helmet when riding an electric scooter. However, people of all ages should consider wearing a helmet and other protective equipment to protect their body, head, and brain from injuries.
• Road or sidewalk defects: When there are potholes, uneven surfaces, or tree branches down on certain roads or sidewalks, riders can collide with those objects, fall while they’re traveling at high speeds, or careen into other vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclists to avoid the debris.
• Faulty products or parts: Just like motor vehicles, electric scooters can have faulty products and parts. When this happens, the electric scooter may crash, causing the operator of the scooter to become injured. If a bicyclist or pedestrian are nearby, they may also become injured in the crash. An even greater risk for scooter operators is an exploding lithium-ion battery, which can cause a fire or send shrapnel flying through the air.

Serious injuries caused by e-scooter accidents in Tulsa

E-scooter riders get hurt – a lot. A small study done by the Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) “found that  e-scooter riders suffered injuries more frequently per mile traveled than bicyclists… and  were twice as likely as bicyclists to get injured because of a pothole or crack in the pavement or other infrastructure like a signpost or curb.” Among the more serious injuries sustained by scooter riders are:

• Dental injuries
• Facial and eye injuries
• Head and skull injuries
• Back and spinal cord injuries
• Nerve injuries
• Muscle injuries
• Soft tissue injuries
• “Road rash”
• Disfigurement
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Organ damage
• Internal bleeding
• Amputations
• Paralysis
• Abdominal injuries
• Chest injuries

According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were close to 80,000 injuries that involved “micro mobility devices” from 2017 to 2021. These devices included electric scooters, electric bicycles, and hoverboards.

If you have been injured in an electric scooter accident that was not your fault, you may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit and receive compensation for your damages. The Tulsa personal injury attorneys from Biby Law Firm will assist you by investigating your claim, determining the cause of your accident, finding out who is responsible, and helping you collect evidence to build a strong case against the defendant. Please do not hesitate to call our office or submit our contact form to schedule a free case evaluation with a personal injury lawyer that you can trust and depend on.