How e-scooter riders navigate road safety hazards –Understanding the perceptions and strategies of regular riders

The popularity of e-scooter riding and the massive climb of related crashes has brought up new challenges for road safety, contradicting the potential benefits of more sustainable transport. While the current literature already draws a picture of e-scooter-related road safety issues, the underlying perceptions and motives of the riders have been hardly considered. An online survey and focus group interviews with regular e-scooter riders (owners of private e-scooters, frequent users of rental vehicles) were set out to obtain insights into the perceptions of hazards and safety-critical events, as well as immediate reactions and long-term protective strategies thereof. Results show that road safety campaigning should consider infrastructure hazards and hazards related to interactions with other road users. Furthermore, the results reveal an overlap regarding road safety problems between e-scooter riding and cycling, implying a potential for joint efforts. Individual behavioral strategies that the riders reported, like immediate reactions and long-term protective strategies, present input for education and training. Moreover, courses of action for traffic planning or maintenance, vehicle manufacturers, and driver education were identified, raising awareness of road infrastructure deficiencies, needed improvements in vehicle design, and the promotion of being considerate of each other in traffic. The findings highlight the benefits of drawing on the road users themselves to get a more complete picture and understanding of the underlying motives to enhance the safety of e-scooter riding.