Electric motor scooters have become increasingly popular in recent years. In many cities, you can rent a motor scooter for a few hours or even pay a monthly fee to rent one whenever you want. Even in cities that don’t have motor scooter rentals, these vehicles are common on the roads.
If you are considering riding a motor scooter in Georgia, you may have safety concerns. Read on to learn about motor scooter safety in Augusta, GA.
How Motor Scooters Are Classified
Many people consider motor scooters to just be slow mopeds. However, Georgia law is a little more specific about how electronic scooters are classified.
For example, scooters with an engine of 50cc or higher are subject to largely the same laws as motorcycles. However, electric scooters are treated more similarly to bicycles. Consult with an attorney to ensure you are keeping up with the necessary requirements for your exact vehicle.
Motor Scooter Safety and Accidents
When you get into a car accident, you are unlikely to be injured. Car accidents are relatively safe for several reasons, including that most vehicles have significant built-in safety features, and typically, cars are relatively close in size and weight. This means that the force of an accident is evenly distributed between both cars.
The same is not true for motorcycle accidents and motorscooter accidents. When a car strikes a smaller vehicle, the smaller vehicle experiences much more force than the larger vehicle. For motor scooters, a collision with a car is much more similar to a pedestrian accident. The scooter rider has essentially zero protection from the vehicle they are riding.
This danger is confirmed by a recent UCLA study. This study revealed that e-scooter injury rates (115 per 1 million trips) are higher than motorcycle injury rates (108 per 1 million trips) and typically involve head injuries and collisions.
These dangers are particularly relevant in Georgia because helmets are not required for scooter riders in Georgia. Moped riders are, but as previously noted, scooters are not regulated the same way as mopeds.
What To Do if You Are Involved in a Motor Scooter Accident
The first thing you should do is get medical attention immediately. With any luck, you just suffered some bumps and bruises. But you may have sustained more severe injuries.
Even a case of road rash should receive medical attention. When you slide along the ground, dirt and debris can get into your wound. If left untreated, that can result in an infection. More serious injuries like a traumatic brain injury or broken bones can only reasonably be treated at a hospital.
If you are healthy enough, document the scene of the accident. There is a chance that you can get compensation from the other party in the accident, especially if it was someone driving a car. If the other driver was at fault for the accident, their insurance will cover your injuries. But you need to document the accident to prove they were at fault.
Staying Safe on a Scooter in Georgia
Georgia laws provide minimal protections for scooter riders. They don’t require you to be licensed or to wear a helmet, depending on the exact kind of vehicle in question. If you want to be safe riding a scooter in Augusta, you should go beyond the minimum, take a safety class, and wear a helmet.
Contact an Augusta Personal Injury Lawyer at Nicholson Revell Personal Injury Attorneys Today
