Have you been to downtown Chicago and noticed a large number of people riding around on scooters? It 
seems like they’re everywhere. Then you notice scooters sitting idle on street corners seemingly waiting for someone to claim them.
That’s because there is a pilot program going on in Chicago involving scooters. What does the increase in the use of scooters in a large suburban area mean? Likely, more injuries. If you are searching for a Chicago scooter accident lawyer, contact our office for a free consultation.
Statistics on Scooter Related Accidents
The City of Chicago is in the middle of an e-scooter pilot program. The program will run from mid-August until mid-December, 2020. The city awarded permits to three e-scooter companies for a total of 10,000 scooters citywide.
So, there are literally thousands of e-scooters on Chicago city streets. The hope is that e-scooters provide city dwellers another form of transportation in addition to the public transportation, Divvy bikes, taxi cabs, and rideshare options that people already have.
Accidents are part of the reality of our daily lives. Every time we go out on the street, we are exposed to the risks of being in an accident. However, there appears to be surprisingly few scooter accidents.
According to the data released by the City, more than 820,000 trips were made using e-scooters last year during the first run of its e-scooter pilot program. Out of these 820,000 trips, only 200 scooter-related injuries were reported by city hospitals.
How to Protect Yourself from a Scooter Accident
First of all, when you ride a scooter, make sure you gear up. The following protective gear might help protect you if you are in a scooter versus automobile accident:
- A helmet is a must. The majority of serious injuries from accidents involve injuries to the head. A helmet can help prevent these injuries.
- Buy proper eye protection: motorcyclists in Illinois are not required to wear a helmet but must protect their eyes. The same concept should apply to scooter riders. Eyewear even sunglasses prevent small particles from getting in your eyes while you are riding.
- Boots: You can buy riding boots for added protection – especially boots that protect your ankles.
- Jacket: Why do motorcyclists wear leather? It’s a form of protection. The same concept applies to scooter riding. Protect your arms and torso by wearing a jacket or other protective wear.
- Gloves: if you fall it’s likely you’ll use your hands to brace you during the fall. This can result in significant injuries. So consider wearing gloves.
As an aside, wearing gear that is highlighted in neon can also help raise your visibility to people driving motor vehicles. For more information about how to protect yourself, contact a Chicago scooter accident lawyer.
Prevention is always better than a cure. The best way to avoid a scooter accident is to ride safely. Avoid riding too fast if you are approaching an intersection so that you can see the upcoming traffic. In a collision between a scooter and a car, taxi, Uber or even a motorcycle, the car has the advantage.
Another place where scooter accidents often happen is by driveways. Scooters have a very low profile. So be careful of cars emerging from hidden driveways and parking lots.
What to do if you are involved in a Scooter Versus Car Accident
No matter how many precautions you take, accidents are going to happen. There’s almost no way to avoid it. If you are involved in an accident, here’s what you should do:
- Are you injured? First off, check if you’ve suffered a physical injury. Don’t worry about your scooter or the pants you just tore. Those are replaceable. Your health is the top priority.
- Call 911 and report the accident.
- If you are physically able to after a crash, take pictures of your injuries, the property damage, the skid marks, traffic controls, of the other vehicle involved in the accident, and of your surroundings.
- Look for witnesses: Often these cases come down to the word of the driver of the vehicle versus the word of the scooter rider. It would help your case significantly if you were able to find a witness who saw the accident occur and noted that you did nothing wrong. Then get their contact information.
- File a Claim With the Insurance Company: if you are able, get the insurance information for the guy who hit you. That may not be possible and you may have to wait for the police report to come out to find out if the guy has insurance. You might also be covered if you have uninsured motorist or underinsured motorist coverage on your own vehicle. Again, might. It’s worth filing a claim.
Our office is located in the northern suburbs very close to Chicago If you have been injured, we will come to you so that you don’t have to drive to our office. Contact a Chicago scooter accident lawyer at 1-847-305-4105 for a free consultation today.
