E-scooters have now become a common sight in cities. At the same time, serious e-scooter accidents are on the rise. According to the Federal Roads Office ASTRA, 152 e-scooter riders were seriously injured, and three were fatally injured last year in Switzerland.
Four crash tests with and without helmets
To illustrate the effects of a typical single accident, TCS conducted four crash tests. A dummy equipped with sensors in the head and neck area rode an e- scooter head-on into an obstacle. Tested were scenarios with and without a bicycle helmet at 20 and 15 kilometres per hour respectively.
The so-called Head Injury Criterion (HIC36) was evaluated as a measure of the risk of serious head injuries. A value greater than 1000 corresponds to a 50 percent probability of sustaining a serious head injury.
Enormous forces at 20 kilometres per hour
While the measured forces on the head with and without a helmet at 20 kilometres per hour were over 200-fold and over 300-fold of Earth's gravity respectively, and the casualty would have had over a 50-percent chance of sustaining serious head injuries even with a helmet, the differences are more apparent at 15 kilometres per hour. At this speed, the HIC36 value with a helmet was below 1000, while the value without a helmet was above it – a serious head injury could likely have been prevented by the helmet.
In the fall with a helmet at 15 kilometres per hour, the measured forces on the head were also slightly reduced because the dynamics of the fall included a slight rotation, causing the dummy to hit the ground with the knee, elbow, and shoulder ahead of the head. This highlights how important it is in an accident for the rider to be vigilant and somewhat cushion the impact with functioning reflexes.
For TCS expert Stefan Eichenberger, the test vividly shows the consequences of an e-scooter accident: "E-scooter riders are often unaware of the forces they are dealing with. They mostly ride without a helmet and not uncommonly you see e-scooter riders talking on the phone with one hand. Anyone who has had an accident at 20 kilometres per hour, or sees what happened to our dummies, won’t repeat such actions too quickly."
Wear a helmet, avoid risks altogether
TCS therefore recommends always wearing a bicycle helmet on an e-scooter, even if it is not legally required. It is equally important to keep both hands on the handlebars during the ride and keep the phone in the pocket. The same rule applies to e-scooters: no alcohol when driving. Alcohol prolongs reaction time and can exacerbate the consequences of accidents. Moreover, wearing bright clothing, ideally with reflectors, helps ensure visibility in traffic. Lights front and back are legally required, even during daylight.
Press contact:
Marco Wölfli, TCS Media Spokesperson
Tel. 058 827 34 03
marco.woelfli@tcs.ch