Over the past couple of years, scooter-share companies have popped up in cities across the United States. A scooter-share is based on the popular dockless bike-share concept, in which someone can rent a bicycle for an hourly fee and then click a button on their phone when they are done using the scooter. Part of the appeal is that renters can locate a scooter on their phone through a GPS device that is installed on the scooter. This also allows users to leave the scooter anywhere they want.
While scooters are not particularly difficult to ride, there is certainly the potential for danger in allowing a large number of scooters to share the already crowded roads in Baltimore. Of course, scooter use is regulated, and riders are subject to a 15 mph speed limit on roads with a speed limit under 30 mph. On larger roads with a higher speed limit, scooters are permitted to drive on the sidewalk, but must travel below six mph. This also raises the concern of scooter-pedestrian accidents.
Not surprisingly, since the inception of the scooter-share program in Baltimore, there has been an increase in the number of Maryland scooter accidents. According to a recent news report, Baltimore lawmakers have had enough of these scooter accidents, many of which have been linked to uninitiated operators traveling at unsafe speeds.
The fine for speeding on a scooter was initially meant to be $20; however, the law was vaguely phrased. This led some to believe that a violation of the law could result in a $1,000 fine or a month in jail. However, a spokesperson from the Baltimore Transportation Department clarified that those harsher penalties were designed to punish the scooter-share companies that engaged in some egregious violation that affected the public safety, rather than speeding riders. However, users fear that ambiguity in the phrasing of the law may lead to unwarranted police intervention. Of course, in addition to any fine, a rider who negligently causes injury to another motorist or pedestrian can be held liable through a Maryland personal injury lawsuit.
For now, it appears that scooter-share companies will remain in operating throughout Baltimore, as the program has been enormously successful. It is estimated that within just a few months of the beginning of the pilot program there had been over a quarter-million rides taken on the scooters. However, as the popularity of scooters grows, it remains to be seen how lawmakers will handle the corresponding increase in Maryland scooter accidents.
Have You Been Injured in a Baltimore Scooter Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been injured in a Baltimore scooter accident, contact the dedicated Maryland personal injury lawyers at the law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC. It may be that you are entitled to compensation for the injuries you have sustained, including damages for your past and future medical expenses, lost wages, as well as for any pain and suffering you endured as a result of the accident. To learn more about how we can help you pursue a claim for compensation, call 410-654-3600 to schedule a free consultation today.
More Blog Posts:
Maryland Man Killed in Recent Motorcycle Accident, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published January 7, 2019.
Settlement Offers in Maryland Motorcycle Accident Cases, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published January 21, 2019.