Long Island Scooter Accident Lawyer
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been proliferating in cities across America. In crowded suburbs on Long Island and in crowded cities like New York, e-scooters and e-bikes have been a boon to delivery persons and could potentially make life easier for thousands of students, workers, shoppers and tourists to get around. These scooters are not without danger, however, and wherever e-scooters go, accidents follow. So far, New York has had a fraught relationship with scooters, and the devices are currently illegal on the streets. That may change any minute, as lawmakers overwhelmingly want scooters, and the governor is on board as well, so long as helmets are required.
Learn more below about the safety, utility and dangers of e-scooters. If you get into a scooter accident in New York City or on Long Island, call Giuffré Law Offices for help recovering compensation for your injuries.
Scooter accidents and injuries
Falling off scooters, colliding with cars, tripping over scooters abandoned on the sidewalk… As scooter ridership has increased, accidents and injuries have grown right along with it. In particular, head injuries from e-scooters have tripled over the last ten years. Here are some of the primary dangers associated with scooters:
Riders of dangerous or defective scooters can get thrown from their scooters due to bad tires, malfunctioning brakes, or sudden engine failure.
Pedestrians can get crashed into or knocked over by negligent, speeding scooter riders cruising on the sidewalk.
Riders get hit by negligent, distracted, aggressive or drunk drivers who don’t pay attention and take care to watch for the presence of scooters on the streets. Turns, lane changes, and entering and exiting driveways, parking lots and alleyways are particularly dangerous spots.
Pedestrians trip over scooters which are abandoned and left lying on the sidewalk. This danger is associated with cities where scooters are available for rent simply by logging into the app provided by the rental company, such as Lime or Bird. A rider can then drop a scooter anywhere, creating a tripping hazard.
Tripping hazards for scooter riders on dangerous sidewalks in disrepair. In New York, property owners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalks that abut their premises, with certain exceptions.
Scooters are technically illegal in New York, and rental companies like Lime and Bird, which are omnipresent in many American cities, are noticeably absent in New York. Even without the ubiquitous rentals, many people still own scooters and e-bikes and use them daily. Electric bikes are especially popular with delivery workers, whose jobs can be eased significantly with the help of pedal-assist and motorized bicycles. These workers risk citations from the police with every trip, but they continue to take their chances because of the benefits they get from using the bikes.
Status of New York law on scooters
Scooters have to-date not been authorized in New York. The New York Senate passed a measure in June 2019 to allow electric scooters into New York City and elsewhere. S5294A would have made scooters legal in the state, with cities given the authority to make their own rules and regulations. Rental companies would be kept out of Manhattan, but scooter owners would be allowed to ride their scooters in the city lawfully. This bill passed by a wide margin in the legislature, but the governor vetoed it in December. The governor wanted a helmet requirement to be part of the measure and rejected the bill when it passed without a helmet law.
The latest word looks hopeful for scooter enthusiasts. Governor Cuomo has announced a new bill in his 2021 budget which would legalize scooters in the state while mandating helmets for scooter riders under 18 years old and for all riders of e-bikes that can go 25mph. Riders of both scooters and e-bikes would have to be at least 16 years old, and both devices would be illegal on the sidewalk.
Get Justice and Compensation After a Scooter Accident Injury in New York
If you get hurt in a scooter accident as a rider or pedestrian, is any party responsible for paying your medical bills and lost wages and compensate you for your pain and suffering? How do you go about identifying the responsible party and pursuing a claim for damages against them? New York personal injury attorney John Giuffré has the answers to your questions. Call Giuffré Law Offices in Garden City, Brooklyn or Bayside for a free consultation after a scooter accident in Nassau County or throughout Long Island or New York City.
