Whether you have lived in Honolulu for years or recently moved to the area, you undoubtedly love living in Hawaii. You may have noticed many individuals getting around on mopeds or other scooters, and more recently, you have considered getting one yourself. Maybe you are interested in having a fun vehicle to get you around, or maybe you hope that it will save you on gas money.
Whatever the case, you certainly want to remain safe while traveling on your scooter. If an accident occurs, you could easily suffer serious injuries because these smaller vehicles offer little protection against larger vehicles, or even if you are the only vehicle involved in the incident.
What can you do to stay safe?
If you are not an experienced scooter operator, you definitely need to focus on understanding how to ride safely. Even if you have some experience, keeping safety your top priority is of the utmost importance. Some ways you can help yourself and others while on your scooter include the following:
- Take a safety course: You may not think that you need a full course because you have had your driver’s license for years. However, driving a scooter is much more dangerous than a car, so having safety tips in your arsenal is wise.
- Get to know your scooter: If you recently purchased a scooter, you undoubtedly just want to jump on and go. Before doing so, it could be in your best interests to go over the owner’s manual and make sure that you understand the controls and proper accelerating and braking techniques.
- Make adjustments for passengers: If you feel confident operating your scooter on your own, you may feel ready to take someone for a ride. If you do have a passenger, you need to make sure that you adjust your scooter and the way you ride because added weight can require those adjustments.
- Check blind spots: Though you may not think you will have blind spots on a scooter, they still exist, as do those for other drivers. To avoid sudden hazards, make sure that you scan the area around you, evaluate possible hazards and execute avoidance maneuvers, or SEE.
Though having fun on your scooter is likely on your mind, your safety should also remain at the forefront.
What if you are in an accident?
Unfortunately, many drivers may not watch out for smaller vehicles, and despite your best safety efforts, you could still find yourself in a serious accident. The growing popularity of e-scooters has led to a growing number of accidents that can sometimes be fatal.
Causes for scooter accidents can be similar to those that occur while driving and have increased risk due to their size and adoption on the roads. Just as distraction can be dangerous while driving, distraction while riding an e-scooter causes riders to lose focus on the road ahead. A distracted rider could collide with a vehicle or a pedestrian. Also, they could easily lose their balance and fall at a high speed. Additionally, pedestrians are unlikely to hear a scooter approaching from behind or be aware of an e-scooter in close proximity until they see it. Riders must always remember that people may not have any warning of an e-scooter heading in their direction.
Many riders are inexperienced
E-scooters are relatively new, and some people who you see on them may be riding one for the first time. User error is a major cause of accidents on the road. Riding at an accelerated speed on an e-scooter or a moped can be dangerous, and riders should be very cautious in high-traffic areas. Any type of object or unevenness of a roadway can have a huge impact on the stability of a scooter and can lead to erratic steering.
You may have questions about possibly obtaining compensation from a driver or pedestrian who is considered at fault for your scooter crash and resulting injuries. In order to gain reliable answers to these questions, you may want to consult with an injury attorney who has experience with scooter and moped accident claims.