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Berlin reports seven e‑scooter deaths and thousands injured
The Berlin Senate’s traffic office disclosed that since the launch of shared e‑scooters in June 2019, seven riders have died and 4,790 people have been injured. Of the injured, 622 suffered serious injuries while 4,168 sustained minor wounds. The most common cause of accidents is illegal riding on sidewalks or against the prescribed direction, followed by insufficient safety distance. Errors when merging into traffic and alcohol influence also contributed significantly.
Pedestrians and cyclists are also affected: 524 pedestrians (including 95 seniors) and 462 cyclists were injured in collisions with e‑scooters. An estimated 850 abandoned e‑scooters are retrieved from Berlin’s waterways each year, highlighting a disposal problem. The Senate, represented by State Secretary Arne Herz (CDU), rejected criticism of the sharing strategy while presenting these figures in response to a parliamentary inquiry by Left Party member Kristian Ronneburg.