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E-scooter accidents: Clear risks – compulsory helmet use could save lives!
A current study by the Technical University of Munich shows that e-scooter accidents are increasing. Experts are calling for comprehensive road safety measures.
E-scooter accidents: Clear risks – compulsory helmet use could save lives!
The continued popularity of e-scooters in German cities also has its downsides. Recent studies indicate that the number of serious injuries following e-scooter accidents is alarmingly high. Dr. Frederik Hartz, co-author of a recent study, emphasizes that the available data does not provide any information about whether the injured wore helmets or whether they used private or rental e-scooters. This knowledge gap makes it difficult to take targeted preventive measures that could be crucial for user safety.
A notable example comes from Australia, where the introduction of compulsory helmet use in certain regions has been proven to reduce the number of injuries among e-scooter users. While such a regulation does not yet exist in Germany, there are loud calls for more safety in road traffic. Studies on measures such as night driving bans or weekend speed limits are still being carried out, but the urgency of the problem cannot be denied.
Education and prevention
The importance of preventative measures is also emphasized by Michael Zyskowski. He advocates targeted educational work about the dangers of serious head injuries - especially for risk groups. Accidents often occur among physically and mentally impaired drivers, which is why education plays a key role.
Another approach to improving road safety could be the digital management of rental e-scooters. This could help prevent accidents. Suggestions already discussed include:
- Reduzierung der Verfügbarkeit von Scootern nachts und an Unfallhotspots.
- Drosselung der Höchstgeschwindigkeit ab einer bestimmten Uhrzeit.
- Einführung von Reaktionstests im Ausleihprozess zur Minimierung von Alkoholfahrten.
- Prüfung der Machbarkeit einer Helmpflicht, wie sie kürzlich in Italien eingeführt wurde.
Experts hope that these measures will significantly reduce the number of accidents and thus the number of injuries. The current information and research results are therefore of great importance in order to minimize the risk for e-scooter users and to make the fun of the new form of mobility safer. The detailed study on this topic is in the reports of tum.de visible.