Tragic e-scooter accident: 37-year-old succumbed to serious injuries

Tragic e-scooter accident: 37-year-old succumbed to serious injuries

Anton-Herzog-Straße, 4560 Kirchdorf an der Krems, Österreich - in Kirchdorf an der Krems, a tragic accident occurred on June 25, which puts the dangers of e-scooters back into the spotlight. At 8:45 a.m. there was a collision between a 49-year-old pedestrian and a 37-year-old e-scooter driver from the Kirchdorf district on Anton-Herzog-Straße. The e-scooter driver did not wear a helmet and fell so unhappily that he crashed into his head onto the asphalt.

The injuries of the e-scooter driver were indefinite and he was immediately admitted to the Pyhrn Eisenwurzen Clinic Kirchdorf. Unfortunately, the man died of his injuries in the morning of June 26th. Fortunately, the pedestrian was unharmed, but the incident throws a disturbing light on the safety of e-scooters in urban space.

E-scooters' risk of injury

As a current research work by Dekra shows, head injuries in e-scooter accidents are a big topic. In a simulation it was found that almost all accidents potentially end with a head impact, which can lead to serious injuries. Over 90 % of cases bring the risk of severe to heavy head injuries. The use of a helmet could make the difference in many scenarios, because numerous crash tests showed that common bicycle helmets can offer effective protection to avoid brain conceals and other injuries

A look at the data shows that e-scooter accidents often have serious consequences: According to a study by the Technical University of Munich, which has been investigating accidents in the dream of the German Society for Trauma Surgery since 2020, 83 % of the affected e-scooter drivers suffered serious head or facial injuries. These statistics illustrate the high risk of the drivers and goes hand in hand with further surveys that show that many accident victims are male and often under the influence of alcohol.

security measures and outlook

The result of these examinations is alarming and asks the question of adequate security precautions. More than half of the accidents take place at night, another indicator that travelers are often overwhelmed or inadequate visibility. Experts therefore require increased information about the need for helmets and possible legal regulations that could facilitate the safe use of e-scooters.

With the upcoming conclusion of current crash tests, there will be new findings that may be published this year. These could give important impulses for the safety of e-scooter drivers and possibly help to reduce the number of serious accidents.