E-scooter riders lack awareness of rider liability, survey says
According to a survey by VOOM, 53% of e-scooter riders have never thought about purchasing insurance coverage despite safety concerns.
Questions surrounding e-scooter safety received new attention this week after Emily Hartridge, a YouTube star, died after her electric scooter was hit by a truck in London; the first such fatality in Britain.
Yet, despite rising concerns around e-scooters’ safety, most riders have not even thought about purchasing insurance, according to a recent survey commissioned by VOOM, the world’s first on-demand, telematics-based insurance platform for specialized mobility.
According to the survey’s findings, 49% of millennial e-scooter riders are concerned about harming themselves or others when riding, but 53% have never thought about purchasing insurance coverage.
Furthermore, the survey found:
- 40% of e-scooter riders have either been in an accident or know someone who has.
- 61% said they would be willing to spend extra money on top of their ride cost to cover injury and third-party liability insurance.
- 52% of respondents said they would prefer pay-per-ride insurance for e-scooter ride coverage instead of annual or monthly insurance plans.
The survey’s findings shine a light on an alarming gap in rider knowledge, which is that most e-scooter riders are unaware that U.S. e-scooter companies place accident liability on the user alone.
Homeowner’s, renters and auto insurance policies do not cover the risks associated with e-scooters. Should a scooter rider injure a pedestrian, cause an accident or cause property damage, the rider will likely be held responsible, leaving riders without third-party liability coverage in a bind in the event of an incident, VOOM explains.
“Riders’ preferred modes of mobility have evolved, yet their insurance policies have not evolved along with them. What we now see is a rise of e-scooter accidents across major cities globally, and simultaneously, users unaware that they are not covered until it is too late,” Tomer Kashi, CEO and co-founder of VOOM, said in a news release. “As an avid scooter rider myself, I believe that riders must recognize the risks they face when riding these e-scooters and take appropriate actions to protect themselves, as they go far beyond injuries to one’s self.”
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