With year-round great weather, it’s no surprise that so many people in Florida choose to get around by not only car but also motorcycle, electric scooter, and motorized scooter. Many people, including tourists, even turn to scooter rentals like Lime for convenience. While a scooter can be a fun and affordable way to get around the city, there are many dangers to scooters and accidents are on the rise.
If you have been injured in a scooter accident and believe another driver or even the scooter manufacturer or rental company could be to blame, it’s important to contact an experienced scooter accident injury attorney to explore your legal rights.
Electric scooters are fairly new and appearing in cities across the United States. Fort Lauderdale is one of just a handful of cities to establish rules for riders and require permits for companies like Bolt, Bird, and Lime that distribute scooters in the city.
Under Fort Lauderdale’s rules, scooter riders are required to obey traffic laws, including yielding to pedestrians, leaving at least four feet of space on the sidewalk when parking the scooter, and avoiding blocking business entrances, wheelchair ramps, and fire hydrants.
Both motorized and electric scooters can pose a number of risks to riders as well as pedestrians. Some of the biggest dangers of scooters include:
Liability in a scooter accident in Florida can be complicated by many factors, including the fact that motorized scooters and electric scooters are not “motor vehicles” under the law and many parties may be to blame for an accident.
Many scooter accidents involve a scooter striking a pedestrian. These accidents are only likely to become more common due to the rise of e-scooter rentals in cities like Fort Lauderdale. Accidents may be caused by scooter riders who are traveling too fast on a sidewalk or distracted, but pedestrians may also be to blame.
Sometimes accidents are caused by faulty scooter parts or poor scooter design. In fact, Lime, an e-scooter rental company, recently recalled some of its scooters due to a risk of the scooters falling apart due to the normal wear and tear of use. In some cases, an accident may be caused by the manufacturer or rental company.
Scooter accidents can sometimes involve motor vehicles on the road, especially in the case of motor scooters or mopeds. These accidents are often very serious as scooter riders have minimal protection in an accident. The scooter rider and/or the driver may share liability in an accident.
Scooter accidents can be serious for riders and pedestrians. If you have been injured in a scooter accident caused by someone else’s negligence, it’s important to seek experienced legal counsel as soon as possible to protect your rights and begin building your claim for the compensation you deserve to help you recover and move on with your life. Contact GMV Law Group, LLP to schedule a free consultation with a scooter accident injury attorney in Florida to explore your legal options. Our English and Spanish speaking representatives are here to help.
