Long Beach Scooter Accident Lawyer

There may be no better location for grabbing a scooter on the street and hopping on than Long Beach, and with options like Lime and Bird scooters, it has never been easier. Whether you need to get somewhere in a hurry or are up for a bit of adventure, scooters have you covered and are a great way to get around economically, avoid the hassle of parking, and minimize your carbon footprint.

When other drivers on the road fail to take your safety into consideration, however, it leaves you exceptionally vulnerable to life-threatening injuries and immense physical, financial, and emotional losses.

If you have been injured in a scooter accident, an experienced Long Beach scooter accident lawyer is standing by to help.

The Risk of Scooter Accident Injuries in Long Beach

When you are riding a rental scooter, you lack the protective shield that a car would afford you, which leaves you far more vulnerable to the impact of an accident.

Accidents are also more likely when you are on a scooter for the following reasons:

• You are more difficult to see, and getting lost in another driver’s blind spots is far easier.
• You can come to swifter stops, which makes you more vulnerable to rear-end accidents when rear motorists fail to pay adequate attention or to leave sufficient space on the road ahead.
• You are far more susceptible to the effects of dangerous driving conditions, such as a poorly maintained road, the dangerous effects of inclement weather, and more.
• You come into close contact with traffic but have little recourse in the face of driver negligence, and negligent drivers are out there.

Dangerous Driver Negligence Against Electric Scooter Riders

Driver negligence is all too real, and it can take various forms:

Distraction

Distraction behind the wheel is bad enough when there is a level playing field (and everyone has the protection afforded by their vehicles). Driver distraction can prove deadly when you are on a Lime or Bird scooter and have no means of protecting yourself other than driving defensively.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recognizes texting as being what it calls the most alarming distraction. Looking down at a text makes it easy for a driver to miss a scooter in their midst.

Excessive speed

NHTSA calls out speeding as a primary cause of far more than its fair share of fatal accidents. Consider the following:

• Over the last two decades, speeding played a role in a full third of all fatal traffic accidents.
• In 2020, excess speed contributed to 29 percent of all traffic fatalities.
• 11,258 people lost their lives as a result of speeding in 2020.

When you are on a scooter, there is little you can do to help offset the risk associated with a speeding motorist who is bearing down on you.

Impairment

Drivers who choose to get behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol take danger to the next level, and pedestrians and those on scooters are the most vulnerable to the devastating effects.

Alcohol causes impairments that span from the physical, cognitive, and sensory to severe lapses in judgment and decreased impulse control – all of which spell trouble for anyone on a scooter who shares the road with an impaired driver.

Exhaustion

Drowsy drivers can cause serious harm. Drowsy drivers suffer from their own brand of impairment, but the effects mimic those experienced by drunk drivers. Exhaustion not only comes with the risk of falling asleep behind the wheel but can also lead to losses related to attention and to a diminished ability to maintain control of one’s vehicle.

Adequate Maintenance With Electric Scooters

When you are on a scooter that you rent with an app on the street, you face serious risks in terms of other drivers on the road, but this is hardly the limit of your concerns. The fact is that when companies like Lime and Bird fail to adequately maintain their scooters, it puts riders at increased risk.

These rental scooters see more than their fair share of hard use. If you have ever seen a sidewalk littered with scooters that were tossed there with anything but care, you get the picture. When the steering mechanism develops a glitch or the brakes start to give out, the scooter can be rendered unsafe for use, but you have no way of knowing this prior to hopping on and hitting the road.

As such, driver negligence and negligence on the part of the scooter company can play a role in scooter accident claims. Sometimes, they both play a role in the same claims.

Product Liability Regarding Rental Scooters

Some scooter accident claims are based on product liability – or include an element of product liability. Lime and Bird are both responsible for putting safe scooters on the streets, and when these vehicles fail to live up to this requirement, it can lead to dangerous accidents. This responsibility extends to ensuring all the following:

• The scooters and their parts are based on safe designs.
• The scooters and their parts are free from manufacturing defects.
• The scooters come with adequate instructions and all the necessary warnings to help keep riders safe.

Speak with an Experienced Long Beach Scooter Accident Lawyer Today

The formidable Long Beach scooter accident lawyers at One Law Group have vast experience successfully guiding complex scooter accident claims like yours toward beneficial outcomes and are well prepared to take the matter to court if doing so is to your advantage.

We are here to help, so please do not delay contacting or calling us at 310-923-9420 today.