According to the Chicago Tribune, the City of Chicago will participate in another electric scooter program this summer. The Tribune reports that the program is being reinstated, despite a “controversial” trial last year. Also, the city will have four times as many electric scooters compared to the previous year, and they will be citywide. Chicago is also implementing requirements that you must lock your scooter to a bike rack or another fixed object at the end of a ride.
The 2019 program was fairly popular in Chicago, with riders taking 7,000 trips a day. However, it was also controversial. Many complained of unsafe scooter riders, and nearly 200 emergency room visits happened because of scooter-related injuries.
Are e-scooters safe to ride?
While e-scooters are convenient, they’re also dangerous for riders. Consumer Reports discovered that eight people died and 1,500 people sustained injuries while using an e-scooter since the Fall of 2017. During the first Chicago pilot program in 2019, roughly 200 people were injured.
On average, there were 20 people injured per 100,000 in scooter trips taken, according to the Public Health and Transportation and CDC. Factoring in that most e-scooter trips are of very short duration, that’s a pretty high number. Almost half were severe injuries such as bone fractures, nerve tendon surgical bleeding, or other damage.
How do e-scooters work?
E-scooter companies like Lime and Bird have developed apps that allow users to rent with ease. A rider finds a scooter, opens the app on their phone, scans the code to unlock the scooter, and rides it. Last year, the user would simply leave the scooter wherever they like when they are done with it. This year there will be designated locations to lock the scooter up. The next scooter user scans their phone to find where the nearest scooter is and repeats the process.
In 2018, e-scooter rental companies Lime and Bird rented 85,000 e-scooters, according to the National Association of City Transportation Officials. This number is more than rented bikes.
You must be 18 years old and have a driver’s license to operate an e-scooter. The fine print also says that the e-scooter must be driven on the road, and the rider should wear a helmet. These companies provide little to no training on how to operate an e-scooter safely.
Chicago to start another e-scooter pilot program this summer
The City of Chicago tried a four-month pilot program with 2,500 scooters over a 450-square mile area on the north, south, and west side last year. Chicago will now be allowing 10,000 scooters to be used in the city through three different vendors.
The scooters will be available everywhere except the central business district, the lakefront, and the 606 trial. The program will start in late July or early August. The primary business is defined as Chicago Avenue on the north, Roosevelt Road on the south, Halsted Street on the west, and another western boundary between Clark Street between Chicago Avenue and Division Street.
The scooter companies will be required to clean the scooters each time staff comes in contact with them, due to the risk posed by the coronavirus. Riders will be encouraged to wear gloves, and wash or disinfect their hands after each use.
According to the City of Chicago Department of Transportation spokesman, Michael Claffey, the goal of the second pilot is to apply lessons learned from the first pilot. The new program will focus on issues of equity, parking solutions, and safety, especially during the time of this unprecedented COVID-19 health crisis. Claffey said Chicago would look at whether rented scooters can be a good option long term.
In particular, whether they can help people in neighborhoods with transportation and economic issues. Unlike last year, the companies will not have to collect scooters every night for redistribution in the morning. With the requirement to lock scooters to a bike rack or other fixed object, the program intends to eliminate complaints from last year of scooters left in the middle of sidewalks, or doorways, posing a tripping hazard.
Injured while using an e-scooter? Contact us today
If you or someone you know is injured while using an e-scooter, contact our attorneys at Shannon Law Group for a free consultation. Call us at (312) 578-9501 or fill out the form at the bottom of this page to get started. Our Chicago injury lawyers are here to help you navigate these accidents and ensure your rights are protected.
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