Between 2019 and 2023, the number of accidents involving electric scooters increased from around 700 to over 3,400 per year, according to statistics from VTI, the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute.
The most common type of accident is single-vehicle accidents, which often depend on road conditions, such as gravel on the road that has not been swept away, or unevenness and potholes in the asphalt.
One in ten accidents occurred when a driver was carrying a passenger on an electric scooter – something that is not legal.
An equal number of accidents occurred on pedestrian paths and sidewalks where electric scooters are not allowed to be driven. Electric scooters that travel faster than 20 kilometers per hour, the maximum speed for categorization as a bicycle, are also pointed out as a cause of accidents.
VTI recommends stricter market control and also wants to investigate a minimum age limit for driving electric scooters.
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