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Serious accident: Man falls with e-scooter in Höhn – alcohol involved!
An e-scooter accident in the Westerwald district seriously injures a man. Alcohol and drugs may have been factors.
Serious accident: Man falls with e-scooter in Höhn – alcohol involved!
A serious accident recently occurred in the Westerwald district when a man suffered significant head injuries in a fall from an e-scooter. The incident, which occurred late on Monday evening in Höhn, once again raises questions about the safety of e-scooters. The man lost control of his vehicle, which could reach a top speed of 70 km/h, even though it was not registered for this, during a descent. He had to be taken to hospital with serious head injuries. According to police reports, he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
A helmet was found at the scene of the accident, but everything indicates that the man was not wearing it when the accident occurred. Such incidents are linked to a worrying trend in e-scooter accidents that has been observed in recent years. Outside Germany, in Austria, the numbers for e-scooter accidents are also alarming. According to that KFV The number of injured people treated in hospital after e-scooter accidents reached 7,500 in 2024, an increase of 25 percent compared to 2023.
A worrying trend
Since 2019, the number of injured e-scooter drivers in Austria has increased more than sixfold. An alarming result that shows how risky using these means of transport can be. About 78 percent of accidents are solo accidents, which indicates dangerous driving behavior. The number of unreported cases could also be higher because many road traffic conflicts go unreported.
Another worrying development is the increasing number of e-scooter riders who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In 2024, 16 percent of e-scooter drivers reported being drunk in the first nine months - an increase compared to 13 percent in the previous year. In addition, 19 percent of drug users admit that they have driven under the influence of drugs.
Demands to increase security
The KFV has called for various measures to increase road safety. These include, among others:
- Eine verpflichtende zweite Bremse
- Die Ausstattung von E-Scootern mit einer Glocke oder Hupe
- Blinker für bessere Sichtbarkeit
- Senkung der zulässigen Höchstgeschwindigkeit von 25 auf 20 km/h
- Eine bessere Bewusstseinsbildung zur Verbesserung der Fahrdisziplin
In 2024, seven e-scooter accidents resulting in fatalities were recorded, which underlines the urgency of the demands mentioned. Many e-scooter riders are unaware of the risk, as only 13 percent wear a helmet. In addition, 52 percent of drivers support compulsory helmet use in order to reduce the risk of injury in accidents.
The events in the Westerwald and the general statistics on e-scooter accidents make it clear that drastic measures are urgently needed to ensure road safety and minimize the risk for all road users. There is a clear need for action to strengthen education about responsible driving and to rethink the legal framework.