Safety Insights from E-Scooter Rider and Bicyclist Behavior Observations in Two U.S. Cities

Abstract

E-scooters, a novel micromobility mode, have transformed U.S. transportation in urban cores, offering potential advantages like cost-effective mobility, congestion reduction, community accessibility, and lower emissions. However, owing to their novelty, their associated safety impacts and rider behaviors remain uncertain, complicating policy formulation. Specifically, e-scooter policy often mirrors bicycle policy, yet there have been few studies that have explicitly investigated how e-scooter and bicycle rider behaviors compare. This research investigated rider behavior relative to infrastructure by examining riding patterns through a video-based platform on 26 Nashville and Portland streets, offering insights on e-scooter and bicyclist behaviors, including riding location and helmet use. This study differs from other observational studies since it covers longer observation periods than prior in-person studies, including nighttime riding behavior. The video analysis also allows for observations of basic demographic characteristics. The findings revealed that bike lanes were well-used and dramatically reduced sidewalk riding and general travel lane usage. Without bike lanes, riders typically resorted to using sidewalks on high-capacity roads and sharing lanes with vehicles on low-capacity streets. The data also suggested demographic trends, such as riskier behavior among younger, male riders, and low helmet usage among e-scooter riders. The results emphasize the need for micromobility-supportive infrastructure in road design to encourage safer riding practices.