Majority are afraid of e-scooters

E-scooters Scare the Streets of Germany

Strolling around Germany can be risky business. Sadly, a staggering 368 pedestrians lost their lives in 2022, with over 26,000 injuries reported. The automobile club ADAC recently conducted a survey on pedestrian safety in 16 major cities – and the results haven't changed much since 2021.

Few Feel Safe

Just over half (51%) of the pedestrians polled feel secure in their surroundings. What's the main source of distress? E-scooters. Once again, they top the list of concerns.

Major Cities' Safety Ratings

With three-quarters of respondents feeling safe, Potsdam ranked highest in terms of pedestrian security. Munich came a close second, with sixty-four percent of pedestrians reporting a sense of safety. Cologne and Saarbrücken lagged behind with less than a third (33%) and 38% indicating that they felt safe, respectively. Interestingly, city size seems to have no correlation with the feeling of security.

What's Sapping Your Peace of Mind?

Here are the top safety concerns for pedestrians:

1. E-scooters (55%)—either as stationed obstacles on sidewalks or due to negligent behavior by riders.
2. Cyclists (47%) who overtake without sufficient distance or do not signal correctly.
3. Distracted pedestrians (31%) who focus on their cell phones or fail to pay attention to their surroundings.
4. Drivers (29%) who neglect to watch out for pedestrians during turns.

Especially Vulnerable Groups

Pedestrians with limited mobility faced unique challenges, including brief green phases, bicycles or vehicles parked on sidewalks, and unclear crossings due to parked cars.

Increasing Safety Sensations

Most pedestrians identified traffic lights as the main factor that boosts their sense of security. Traffic signals were followed by crosswalks, and the 30 km/h speed limit in residential areas came in third.

ADAC's Recommendations

To intensify a feeling of safety, ADAC suggests that local authorities clamp down on sidewalk parking violations for cars, e-scooters, and cargo bikes, imposing more severe penalties as necessary.

Separating footpaths and cycle paths is also suggested, with pedestrians and cyclists ideally traveling in two distinct lanes.

Safety Tips for Pedestrians

Pedestrians can contribute to their personal safety by crossing roads in designated areas with good visibility (traffic lights or crosswalks). Maintaining eye contact with drivers during turns is also essential. To involve children in safety practices, guide them through school routes and identify potential hazards.

However, it is everyone's responsibility to be more mindful of pedestrians – especially e-scooter users, given the increasing number of accidents between them and pedestrians.

Despite the concerns, e-scooters contribute positively to lowering the carbon footprint. By striking a balance between addressing safety concerns and promoting environmentally-friendly alternatives, pedestrians and other road users can share the streets securely.

1. In their 2023 survey, ADAC acknowledged that e-scooters are the primary concern for pedestrian safety, with over half (55%) of the respondents expressing their fear of these electric vehicles.
2. The German automobile club recommended that local authorities take stricter enforcement actions against parking violations, particularly for e-scooters, and create separate and well-segregated lanes for pedestrians and cyclists.
3. To reduce the number of accidents involving e-scooters and pedestrians, the ADAC stressed the importance of responsible riding practices, proper education, and infrastructure design that accommodates both pedestrians and cyclists while ensuring safety.
4. In promoting sustainable transportation solutions, the use of e-scooters contributes positively to carbon reduction efforts, making it essential to provide a balanced approach to address safety concerns while ensuring a wide range of environmentally-friendly mobility options for all road users.

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To address pedestrian safety concerns associated with e-scooters, various measures could be proposed by the ADAC or other authorities:

1. Speed Limitations: Regulate the maximum speed and acceleration of e-scooters to ensure they don't pose a threat to pedestrians or conflicts with cyclists.
2. Design and Safety Features: Enhance the design of e-scooters with safety features, such as speed limiting systems that cannot be easily bypassed, ensuring structural integrity, and adhering to real-world use considerations.
3. Balancing Accessibility and Safety: Permitting e-scooters on footways for mobility-impaired individuals requires measures to mitigate risks, ensuring proper visibility for visually impaired pedestrians and older individuals.
4. Education and Awareness: Promote responsible riding practices and educate e-scooter users about traffic rules and the need to maintain awareness of their surroundings.
5. Infrastructure Design: Design bike lanes and footpaths to accommodate both cyclists and pedestrians, ensuring clear signage, markings, and separation to reduce conflicts between these modes of transportation.