If you’ve been involved in an accident involving an e-scooter in San Francisco, California, it’s important to understand your rights. Shared e-scooter companies like Lime and Spin provide a convenient way to get around the city, whether you use them to get to work, run errands, or see the sights on a day off or while on vacation. Electric scooters may be economical and fun, but before you hop on, it’s smart to be aware of the risks of riding and what to do if you’re injured in an e-scooter accident.
How Safe Is It to Ride an E-Scooter in San Francisco?
Since 2020, the number of people using e-scooters has skyrocketed, and so have the resulting injuries and fatalities. Data released by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Vision Zero initiative in 2023 showed scooter injuries jumping from 145 between 2017 and 2019 to an alarming 454 from 2020 to 2022—a 213% increase. Scooter-related fatalities during this same time period jumped as well, from zero to seven.
A study conducted by UCLA showed that electric scooter accidents are even more statistically likely than motorcycle accidents (115 accidents per million trips for scooters versus 104 accidents per million trips for motorcycles). And while scooter accident victims may be hurt less severely than those riding motorcycles, scooter accident victims often require emergency room treatment for fractures and head trauma, and after a trip to the ER, many (33%) require substantial subsequent medical treatment.
While riders make up 92% of victims in e-scooter accidents, pedestrians are frequently hurt in collisions with scooters, or even because of a trip and fall over a parked scooter. Falls, collisions with objects, and collisions with other moving vehicles such as cars, motorcycles, and other other scooters make up the vast majority of e-scooter accident causes.
As recently as January 2025, a news story made local headlines when a San Bruno teen riding a scooter collided with a garbage collection truck. Bystanders saw the young man and his scooter get caught under the truck. The teen sustained severe injuries, and at last report was expected to survive but spend several weeks in the hospital. Cases like this are increasingly common and serve as caution to riders to be aware of the dangers of e-scooters and what to do if you’re involved in a scooter accident.
Why is it So Dangerous to Operate an Electric Scooter in San Francisco?
Several factors can put you at risk while operating an e-scooter on city streets:
- Riders on scooters are low to the ground and are easily lost in the blind spots of automobiles and trucks
- E-scooters take up the same visual space as pedestrians but move much faster, which makes them difficult to see
- Only riders under the age of 18 are required to wear a helmet while riding an e-scooter, putting them at risk for more serious injuries
- Not all riders are familiar with traffic laws or skilled at operating motorized vehicles
- Potholes and other obstacles that are too small to affect cars can be extremely dangerous for the smaller wheels of a scooter
- Riders who operate scooters while intoxicated, using a smartphone, or otherwise distracted are more at risk
- Many e-scooter riders use them during peak commuting hours at dusk or later and when traffic is heavy
Will Insurance Cover Damages and Medical Treatment if I am Hurt in a Scooter Accident?
The answer to this question depends on many factors which is why the best thing you can do after an e-scooter accident is contact an experienced San Francisco scooter lawyer. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Many auto insurance policies do not cover scooters because they have fewer than four wheels; however, some policies cover them because they are considered motorized vehicles.
- Homeowner insurance, renters insurance, personal motility insurance, or uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may provide some coverage.
- You might be able to purchase scooter insurance as part of a bundle from your insurance carrier.
If you rent an electric scooter, you’ll sign an agreement that usually includes taking on the liability for any accidents in which you may be involved, so unless there is a malfunction of the scooter that is the result of negligence by the company who rented it to you, no responsibility will fall on the rental company.
Can I Sue the Scooter Rental Company If I’m Injured While Riding in San Francisco?
The short answer: maybe. Remember that when you are riding an e-scooter, you are responsible for operating the vehicle in a safe manner, and this includes following company guidelines and obeying traffic laws. Still, even if you are very careful and cautious, sometimes accidents happen and injuries and property damage can occur. The fault may lie with you, the e-scooter manufacturer or rental company, the operator of another vehicle or a pedestrian, the owner of a property where you are riding, or some combination of these.
In order to win a personal injury case against the company who rented you the scooter or a premises liability case against a property owner where you were riding, you must prove two things: (1) there was negligence on the part of the company or owner, and (2) you were injured as a direct result of that negligence.
If the vehicle were to malfunction while you were riding it, that might be the fault of the company who manufactured the scooter or rented it to you. For example, if they failed to fix a mechanical issue they knew about or should have known about, neglected to do regular inspections of the vehicle, or an employee made an error in servicing the scooter, the manufacturer or rental company may be wholly or partially responsible for your accident.
A Colorado court recently sided with the app-based scooter rental company Lime stating that the company cannot be held liable for accidents and injuries caused by riders. While we have not yet seen a case like this in California, it may not be far off. Again, the scooter company would only have liability in a personal injury case if they were found to be negligent in some way.
Can I Sue the City or County or a Property Owner if a Hazard or Obstacle Caused My Accident?
If you were riding your e-scooter on a city street and hit a pothole, or you were riding (with permission, of course) on private property where, for example, tree roots had caused a broken or uneven surface or there were obstacles of some kind on the ground, and these conditions resulted in your falling off the vehicle, you may have a case against the city or the property owner.
In 2023, the city of San Jose settled a widely publicized lawsuit brought by a woman who rode her e-scooter into the base of a light pole that had been removed. The 4-inch-high obstacle was difficult to see due to the absence of cones or caution signs and the fact that the next closest light had a burnt-out bulb, leaving the area dark. The woman’s injuries included a broken nose and teeth, a concussion, several lacerations, and a fractured jaw requiring months of dental and medical treatment. In this case, the city (and perhaps the contractors it had hired work in the area) would likely have been found liable in this premises liability case, so they opted to settle out of court and pay the victim $337,500.
What If My Scooter Accident is Caused by Another Driver or a Pedestrian?
In yet another scenario, if the driver of a car, truck, motorcycle–or even a pedestrian–cut in front of you when you had the right of way, they may be responsible for your injuries and damages. If your accident involved a vehicle owned by a public or private company or a government agency, you might be approached early on with a settlement offer. Before you accept any kind of monetary payout, be sure to contact an experienced personal injury attorney for advice first. While it might be tempting to take their offer for immediate relief–especially if the medical bills are piling up and you are out of work–keep in mind that you may not yet have discovered the extent of your injuries and that the costs could continue to climb over time.
What to Do If You Are Involved in an Accident Involving an E-Scooter
Take these steps immediately following any accident involving an electric scooter:
- Call 911. Have the police department come on site and take a report.
- Document the scene by taking photos and videos. Use your smartphone to get photos of the area and any vehicles or obstacles involved. Take both close up and wide shots. You never know what pictures might be helpful if you need to go to court, but remember you’ll have to show that another party’s negligence was the direct cause of your accident and resulting injuries, so document everything.
- Collect personal information of involved parties and witnesses. Get the names, phone numbers, addresses, of everyone who saw or was involved in the accident. Be sure to take pictures of the insurance cards and drivers licenses of all individuals driving or operating vehicles that were part of the accident.
- Seek medical attention. Go to the emergency room or see your physician right away and tell them about your accident. This information will be very important in proving that your injuries were the result of an accident caused by another party’s negligence.
Contact the Experienced Scooter Injury Lawyers at Mova Law Group – Personal Injury Attorneys
After an accident, it’s crucial to get both medical and legal help as soon as possible. If your injuries might be the fault of someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, you need to know the proper steps right from the beginning to protect your case. Contact us immediately after an accident to discuss your options and whether you have a potential personal injury or premises liability case. We will help you protect your interests in the event you need to file a lawsuit to get compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages.
Call our personal injury law firm at (415) 449-8489 or live chat with us on our website at movalegal.com. We are available 24/7!
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