Rentable motorized scooters may be convenient to hop on and use among riders in Isla Vista, but health officials at UC Santa Barbara are expressing alarm about the surge in injuries associated with them.
Ali Javanbakht, medical director of UCSB Student Health, says he’s seen one or two patients per week since the quarter started five weeks ago. The problem appeared so abruptly that his office has created a specific diagnosis code for scooter accidents so it can gather hard data.
Javanbakht has identified three key hazards related to the vehicles, which have been proliferating since September when two electric scooter companies distributed an estimated 500 of them throughout Goleta and Isla Vista.
“These scooters are easy to access and may lend themselves to use by people who might not otherwise plan, research and invest in buying a scooter for themselves,” he told Noozhawk. “Bypassing that individual screening process might be lending itself to people who are unprepared using these scooters.”
Javanbakht said speed also is a concern as the motorized scooters can travel up to 30 mph.
“The top speed is much higher than anyone could generate by pedaling a nonmotorized scooter,” he noted. “Also, the operator’s own level of comfort and skill often dictates the speed of a nonmotorized scooter.
“Both of those aspects are bypassed with motorized scooters.”
Finally, he said, there’s no way to ensure operators are wearing helmets.
“All these factors combine to create a hazardous situation that leads to bodily injury, concussions and, as a result, missed school and employment for our students,” Javanbakht said.
Competitors Bird and Lime are the two micro-mobility companies behind the e-scooter invasion, which has resulted in the vehicles being scattered on sidewalks, street corners, parkways and even private property.
To use the scooters, users download the companies’ apps on their smartphones and pay about $1 a mile for rides. Users hop on the scooters wherever they find them and walk away when they reach their destination.
The City of Goleta is considering a ban on the dockless scooters until it creates a policy on how to regulate them.
UCSB has banned the motorized scooters on campus.
Noozhawk asked Andrea Estrada, UCSB’s director of news and media relations, for the university’s position on the safety of the scooters.
“I can tell you that campus discussions continue regarding the interim policy on the use of electric scooters,” she said, “and in some cases those discussions include the scooter companies.”
Both Bird and Lime issued statements in response to Noozhawk’s inquiries about injuries on campus.
San Mateo-based Lime said it launched a campaign “to ensure that new modes of mobility can coexist safely with cars on our campuses and roadways.”
“Our Respect the Ride campaign includes a community pledge and helmet distribution, product enhancement, safety brand ambassador program, ad campaign, and dedicated trust, education and safety team,” according to the statement.
Lime said the first 25,000 riders to sign the pledge will receive free Lime helmets for showing their support.
The company said it also has added safety tutorials on its app.
In its statement, Santa Monica-based Bird said it is “committed to partnering with cities to ensure that the community, and its visitors, safely embrace our affordable, environmentally friendly transportation option.”
The statement said Bird requires riders to upload a driver’s license and confirm they are 18 or older, and it provides an in-app tutorial on how to ride and park its scooters, while posting clear safety instructions on each vehicle. The company said it encourages riders to wear helmets and has given out more than 50,000 of them for free.
Bird previously said it is working with local officials “in the hopes of solidifying our partnerships with important leaders in the area.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
