Electric bike and electric scooter rentals have surged in popularity in recent times, with many commuters, city dwellers and holidaymakers (among others) viewing e-bikes and e-scooters as a healthy, convenient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly form of transport. While the benefits of these relatively new electric vehicles are obvious, an increasing number of accidents are being reported on UK roads involving riders injured in crashes due to maintenance failures and manufacturing defects, and the rental company and/or manufacturer is usually responsible in these circumstances.
Accidents Caused by Poor Maintenance and Design Flaws
Accidents are often the result of poor maintenance of an e-bike or e-scooter on the part of the rental company, including failure to fix known defects and poorly executed repair work. The vehicle’s manufacturer may be responsible if an accident was caused by design flaws, mechanical failures or software malfunctions. One widely reported issue with both e-bikes and e-scooters is faulty lithium-ion batteries catching fire or exploding, while mechanical faults can affect the motor, drivetrain and throttle. More often, rental electric vehicles have been allowed to fall into a state of disrepair by the rental company, creating a clear risk of injury for riders.
Legal Rights of Injured E-Bike and E-Scooter Riders
Rental companies are responsible for ensuring the good condition and safety of the e-bikes and e-scooters they rent to the public, and a claim may be made against them if the defective state of an electric vehicle caused or was a contributing cause of an accident. A rental agreement is a service contract, and commercial rental providers have insurance policies to cover them in the event of an e-bike or e-scooter rider getting injured through no fault of their own. Third parties including pedestrians may also be injured in cycling accidents, and personal property may be damaged, both of which the rental company may be held liable for and obliged to pay compensation.
Rental E-Bike and E-Scooter Accident Risks
Accidents on rental e-bikes and e-scooters tend to result in more serious injuries than those involving standard bikes and scooters due to the faster top speed of the electric vehicles (15.5mph by law) and a wider range of potential problems with the vehicles’ motorised components and software. The city of Stockholm was forced to suspend its electric bike rental scheme due to concerns that the batteries were flammable, after which an inspection found that 58% of the e-bikes had been reported as faulty but were still available for rent. This indicates the level of risk facing the ever-growing number of rental e-bike and e-scooter riders.
If you have been injured in an accident caused by a faulty rental e-bike or e-scooter, contact our firm for expert legal advice from solicitors who are themselves cyclists with knowledge of electric vehicles, and who have many years of experience in claiming compensation for riders injured through no fault of their own.
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