Swedish Study Finds Alcohol Involved in Nearly Half of Fatal E‑Scooter Crashes

A study by Chalmers University of Technology and the Swedish Transport Administration examined all fatal crashes involving electric scooters, e‑bikes and bicycles in Sweden between 2016 and 2024. It found that 44 % of riders killed on electric scooters were under the influence of alcohol, with a median blood‑alcohol concentration of 1.8 ‰—well above Sweden's legal limit of 0.2 ‰ for cars and the 1.0 ‰ threshold for aggravated drunken driving.

The fatalities mostly involved privately owned scooters rather than rental units, occurred at evenings or night‑time on weekends, and none of the e‑scooter victims wore a helmet. By contrast, only about a quarter of e‑bike and bicycle deaths had helmets on. Head injuries were the leading cause of death across all groups. The study also highlighted distinct crash patterns: e‑scooter victims had a median age of 47.5 years and typically suffered single‑vehicle crashes, whereas bicycle deaths involved older riders (median age 71) and collisions with motor vehicles during daylight.

Researchers called for targeted safety measures, noting that “Alcohol intoxication is a common issue among all road users, but it appears to be particularly severe among riders of electric scooters,” said Marco Dozza, professor at Chalmers. They emphasized the potential life‑saving impact of increased helmet use and stricter regulations for electric scooters.