E-scooter accidents are exploding: Bergisches Land counts over 30 injured!

E-scooter accidents are exploding: Bergisches Land counts over 30 injured!

More and more e-scooters on the road

Wherever you look, you see them everywhere: e-scooters have established themselves in cities and are enjoying great popularity. But as their use increases, so does the number of accidents. Last year, over 3,000 people had accidents with e-scooters in North Rhine-Westphalia, which corresponds to a worrying increase of 20% compared to previous years, reports the Solinger Tageblatt. Younger drivers are particularly affected: an impressive 50% of injured e-scooter users are under 25 years old, which illustrates the risk to this age group.

Surveys from the Bergisches Land show that most accidents took place in Solingen and Remscheid. A total of eight injured e-scooter drivers were registered in Remscheid in 2024, including three seriously injured. Solingen recorded 15 injuries, two of whom were seriously injured. Wuppertal was not spared either: there were almost 100 injured here, including 13 seriously injured. Ten e-scooter drivers were injured in the Oberbergischen district, while eleven more people were affected in the Rheinisch-Bergischen district.

Increase in the number of accidents

The number of accidents involving e-scooters has increased across Germany. This is evident not only in North Rhine-Westphalia, but also in the other large cities in Germany. According to a press release from the Federal Statistical Office, 1,570 accidents involving e-scooters were registered from January to September 2020, in which 1,096 people were slightly injured and 269 were seriously injured, as well as seven fatal accidents. These numbers can be compared with a decrease in the overall number of accidents during the corona pandemic.

Despite the growing danger posed by e-scooters, the use of these vehicles continues to rise sharply. The regulations are clear: Drivers do not need a driver's license, but must be at least 14 years old and adhere to the 0.5 alcohol limit. It is important for inexperienced users to be aware of the dangers and to drive safely.

Cycling and its challenges

In addition to e-scooters, the number of accidents with e-bikes in North Rhine-Westphalia has also increased. Last year, 7,175 injured cyclists were recorded, which corresponds to an increase of 6%. As a result, the general conditions in road traffic are becoming more and more challenging. In Solingen, 104 cyclists were injured, in Remscheid there were 30 and in Wuppertal 235. There were also serious injuries in these accidents, with the number of seriously injured cyclists being five in Remscheid, 16 in Solingen and 31 in Wuppertal.

Despite the dire statistics, there are also positive developments: the total number of people injured in bicycle accidents is declining slightly across the country.

When it comes to road safety, both e-scooter riders and cyclists have to deal with a growing number of road users. It is very important that preventive measures and educational work are increased. The numbers are impressive and show that a lot still needs to be done in the area of ​​road safety.

For further information on this topic you can see the detailed statistics on e-scooter accidents here and the current study by Statista here see.