The Rapid Rise of Micromobility and the Safety Concerns It Brings

Micromobility vehicles, such as e-bikes, mopeds, and e-scooters, have become a fixture on city streets across the United States. In urban areas, particularly New York City, their use has skyrocketed due to convenience, affordability, and the demand from food delivery services. While these vehicles provide an efficient transportation option, they also pose significant risks to riders, pedestrians, and other drivers.

Recent reports show a marked increase in crashes, injuries, and even fatalities tied to micromobility. The growing presence of these devices has created complex challenges for cities struggling to adapt infrastructure, enforce safety standards, and regulate equipment. For victims of accidents involving e-bikes, mopeds, and scooters, the consequences can be devastating and raise serious legal questions about accountability.

What Are Micromobility Vehicles?

Micromobility is a term used to describe small, lightweight vehicles designed for short-distance travel. These include:

• Electric bikes (e-bikes): Bicycles equipped with small motors to assist with pedaling, generally capped at speeds of 20–25 mph.
• Electric scooters (e-scooters): Stand-up scooters powered by electric motors, typically limited to speeds of 15 mph in most jurisdictions.
• Mopeds: Two- or three-wheeled motorized vehicles that, unlike e-bikes and e-scooters, require registration, licensing, and often insurance.

These devices are often promoted as environmentally friendly alternatives to cars, reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions. However, the reality on busy city streets reveals growing concerns about accidents, reckless riding, and the dangers of low-cost, uncertified equipment.

Rising Crash and Injury Data

Data collected between 2020 and 2023 paints a clear picture of the risks. Micromobility vehicles accounted for:

• 1.8% of pedestrian fatalities during that period (eight out of 449).
• 4.5% of pedestrian injuries, or 1,276 out of 28,450 total reported cases.

These numbers may sound modest compared to cars and trucks, but the sharp increase since e-bikes and scooters were legalized in 2020 is alarming. Fatalities among riders themselves have grown year over year, with mopeds responsible for the majority of the most severe incidents due to their higher speeds and heavier frames.

Pedestrian injuries involving e-bikes and scooters jumped significantly in 2022 and remain elevated. Although motor vehicles still account for the overwhelming majority of pedestrian deaths, the rise in micromobility-related accidents has added new layers of danger and unpredictability on city streets.

Why These Vehicles Pose Heightened Risks

Micromobility devices carry unique hazards that differ from traditional vehicles and bicycles. Key risk factors include:

• Speed vs. Infrastructure: Many bike lanes were designed for slower, traditional bicycles. With faster and heavier e-bikes and mopeds entering the same space, crashes and conflicts are more likely.
• Battery and Fire Risks: Low-cost, uncertified lithium-ion batteries have caused hundreds of fires, resulting in deaths, injuries, and significant property damage.
• Unregistered or Illegal Devices: Many mopeds sold in the market are not legally certified, lack VIN numbers, and cannot be registered. These vehicles often go unmonitored, increasing street-level dangers.
• Delivery Worker Pressures: Food delivery apps incentivize riders to complete as many orders as quickly as possible. This business model pressures workers to speed, run red lights, and ride on sidewalks to avoid deactivation.

Together, these factors create an environment where accidents involving micromobility are increasingly common and often severe.

Who Is Most at Risk?

While anyone on the road can be harmed in a micromobility-related crash, certain groups face higher risks:

• Riders Themselves: Fatalities and serious injuries are most common among e-bike, scooter, and moped users. Lack of protective gear and higher speeds magnify injury severity.
• Pedestrians: Sidewalk riding and unsafe parking of these devices create hazards for those walking, especially seniors and people with disabilities.
• Delivery Workers: Many riders are low-wage workers facing unreasonable demands from app-based companies, making them prone to crashes, fires, and occupational hazards.
• Other Road Users: Drivers and cyclists also face unpredictability from unregistered mopeds weaving between lanes or e-scooters suddenly entering traffic.

The combination of vulnerable users and unregulated equipment means accidents often have devastating consequences.

The Legal Landscape and Accountability Issues

The rapid rise of micromobility has outpaced regulation, leaving victims in a confusing legal environment. Key issues include:

• Product Liability: Manufacturers and sellers of unsafe e-bikes, mopeds, and batteries may be held accountable if defective equipment contributes to accidents or fires.
• Negligence: Delivery companies and restaurants that knowingly allow unsafe vehicles to be used may be liable for injuries.
• Regulatory Gaps: Lack of consistent enforcement and oversight allows illegal vehicles and unsafe practices to flourish.
• Wrongful Death Claims: Families of those killed in crashes, battery fires, or other micromobility incidents may pursue legal action for compensation.

Victims often face uphill battles proving liability without strong legal representation, as companies and sellers attempt to shift blame to individual riders.

Potential Compensation for Victims

Individuals injured in micromobility-related accidents may be entitled to seek compensation covering:

• Hospital bills and ongoing medical treatment.
• Rehabilitation and therapy for long-term injuries.
• Lost income and reduced earning capacity.
• Pain, suffering, and emotional distress.
• Wrongful death damages for families of deceased victims.

Given the severity of injuries often associated with these accidents, compensation amounts can be substantial, particularly when permanent disability or death occurs.

The Importance of Legal Representation

Accidents involving e-bikes, scooters, or mopeds often involve multiple parties, including riders, sellers, app companies, and even property owners. Untangling liability requires experienced investigation, accident reconstruction, and access to expert testimony.

Victims without legal guidance may struggle to hold large companies accountable, especially when delivery platforms or manufacturers attempt to deny responsibility. A national personal injury law firm has the resources to pursue claims on behalf of individuals and families, no matter where they occur, and ensure that victims are not left to shoulder financial and emotional burdens alone.

FAQs About Micromobility Accident Lawsuits

1. What are the most common accidents involving e-bikes, scooters, and mopeds?
   Accidents often involve collisions with cars, pedestrians being struck by riders, crashes caused by sidewalk riding, or fires linked to unsafe batteries. Delivery-related crashes are particularly common in busy urban areas.
2. Can pedestrians injured by a micromobility rider file a lawsuit?
   Yes. Pedestrians who suffer injuries due to reckless or negligent use of an e-bike, scooter, or moped may have grounds to file a personal injury claim.
3. Are delivery companies responsible if their riders cause accidents?
   In many cases, yes. If a delivery worker was pressured by unreasonable demands, using unsafe vehicles, or incentivized by app algorithms, companies may share liability for resulting injuries.
4. What if the crash involved an illegal or unregistered moped?
   Unregistered mopeds pose complex legal challenges. However, sellers of illegal mopeds and restaurants or delivery platforms that allow them to be used can potentially be held accountable.
5. What damages can victims recover in micromobility accident lawsuits?
   Compensation may include medical costs, rehabilitation, lost wages, diminished future earning capacity, and non-economic damages like pain and suffering. Families may also pursue wrongful death claims.
6. Do I need proof that the vehicle was unsafe or illegal?
   While proof strengthens a case, liability can often be shown through police reports, accident reconstruction, medical records, and product testing data. Attorneys can help build the necessary evidence.
7. Is there a deadline to file a claim?
   Yes. Each state has a statute of limitations for personal injury and wrongful death claims. It is important to consult with a law firm quickly to avoid losing the right to sue.

Contact Parker Waichman LLP For A Free Case Review

If you or a loved one was injured in an accident involving an e-bike, scooter, or moped, you may have a legal claim. Parker Waichman LLP is a national personal injury law firm representing victims of micromobility crashes and battery-related injuries. Our attorneys are actively investigating claims across the United States.

Call 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529) today for a free consultation. We will evaluate your case, explain your options, and fight to secure the compensation you deserve.