E-scooter drama in Munich: Several accidents at the weekend!

E-scooter drama in Munich: Several accidents at the weekend!

Last weekend, several accidents involving e-scooters occurred in Munich, which not only kept the city police busy, but also brought the safety of e-scooter users into focus. A 69-year-old man fell on Harlachinger Berg around 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, where he fell due to the steep gradient. Tragically, he was left unconscious and had to be taken to hospital with a traumatic brain injury South German newspaper reported.

Just an hour later, another incident occurred: A cyclist fell on the cycle path on Heinrich-Wieland-Straße around 1:50 p.m. when she was overtaken by two girls on an e-scooter. According to the police, they brushed against their driver, stopped briefly, but then continued driving, which is why the police are now investigating a hit-and-run. Early on Sunday morning at 4:50 a.m., a man in a VW was involved in an accident on Dachauer Straße when an e-scooter with two riders came towards him from behind. The two men tried to turn and collided with the car. While one of them fled on an e-scooter, the other fled on foot.

The accident statistics at a glance

The current incidents are part of a worrying trend, as the number of e-scooter accidents has risen sharply in the last year. In 2023, there were a total of 9,425 e-scooter accidents with personal injury in Germany, which corresponds to an increase of 14.1% compared to the previous year, according to the statistics shows. Particularly alarming: the number of deaths has doubled from 11 to 22. 83% of those injured were on an e-scooter themselves, including most of the fatal cases. The main cause of these accidents is frequent violations of traffic rules, such as driving on sidewalks or driving under the influence of alcohol.

• Hauptursachen für E-Scooter-Unfälle 2023:
• Falsche Fahrbahnnutzung: 19,4 % der Unfälle
• Alkoholeinfluss: 15,1 % der Unfälle

It has also been shown that 66.3% of accidents were caused by e-scooter riders themselves. Around 60% of e-scooter accidents occur in large cities, with Munich not being an exception. Young drivers are particularly affected: 41.6% of e-scooter users who have had accidents are under 25 years old.

Stay alert in traffic

The police therefore appeal to all users of e-scooters to adhere to the traffic rules. E-scooters have been registered in Germany since June 15, 2019, and riding on sidewalks is prohibited. Adults must be at least 14 years old and must not exceed the 0.5 alcohol limit. It is important to show more attention and responsibility in traffic.

The accidents of the last few days are a clear reminder that the safety of all road users comes first, regardless of whether they are e-scooter drivers, cyclists or car drivers. Ois needs a little more consideration and mutual attention so that such unpleasant incidents can be avoided in the future, because safety should always come first.

In summary, despite the popularity of e-scooters, the number of accidents is increasing alarmingly. According to a study into the number of accidents in recent years, a rethink is needed to make riding on e-scooters safer. The city of Munich and the police must continue to work on strategies to combat these trends.