South Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
During the past several years many major cities, including Miami, have seen a rise in e-scooter use. Although, manual scooters, Segways, and other similar modes of transportation have been around for years, e-scooters revolutionized the way people traveled through Miami. In many situations, the e-scooters can be rented at one kiosk and then returned to a different location. Miami e-scooter rental companies often boast that these characteristics make the e-scooters, economical, fun, easy to use and safe. However, emergency room data suggests that these e-scooters are not as safe as they may seem at first glance. Despite safety concerns with these scooters, businesses continue to pop-up, creating a surge in use and subsequent accidents. Individuals who suffer injuries involving e-scooters should contact a Miami personal injury attorney to discuss your rights and remedies.
In response to the rising rate of Miami e-scooter injuries and consequent personal injury lawsuits against rental companies, the city outlawed e-scooters. However, the backlash from the rental companies resulted in a pilot program. This pilot program was designed to allow city commissioners to evaluate the safety of each company and their e-scooters before deciding which companies would receive a formal long-term license.
The primary concern with e-scooters is that companies fail to ensure that their renters know and abide by Miami motor vehicle rules. Under the law, individuals must be at least 18 years-old to ride an e-scooter, and they must stop at red lights, stop signs, yield to pedestrians, and they cannot weave through traffic. Despite these rules, e-scooter riders are often involved in serious accidents. Accidents are more common with these vehicles because they are hard to spot, riders are often inexperienced, and other motorists are not on the look-out for them.
Data suggests that the most common causes of Miami scooter accidents are distracted driving, speeding, tailgating, abrupt lane changes, and being hit by car doors. These accidents can have serious consequences for everyone involved, mainly because Florida law does not require scooter riders to wear helmets. A recent study revealed that the most common e-scooter related injuries are traumatic brain injuries, fractures, sprains, and broken bones.
Following the pilot program, the Miami city commissioner is asking pilot administers to rank the companies by their safety record. According to a recent news report, the commissioner stated that at least four of the nine participants would not receive a license. Companies that provide discounted helmets and other safety precautions will earn more points towards their overall ranking. The remaining companies will have to provide the commissioner with detailed plans on how they will reduce sidewalk clutter and reduce accidents. The commissioner believes this ranking system will result in the companies doing everything in their power to ensure that they are the safest business on the market.
Have You Been Involved in an Accident with an E-scooter in Miami?
If you or someone you know has suffered injuries in a Miami e-scooter accident, you should contact the experienced accident attorneys at Friedman, Rodman & Frank P.A. The attorneys at our law firm make it a priority to stay on top of the ever-changing statutes that affect accident victims in the state. Our law firm’s reputation is built on a history of successfully representing injury victims and recovering substantial amounts of compensation on their behalf. Our attorneys are lauded on their ability to be compassionate towards clients while fiercely advocating on their behalf. Contact our office at 877-448-8585 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney at our law firm.