Consumer Reports no longer recommending e-scooters
YUMA, Ariz. (CONSUMER REPORTS) - You've probably seen them zooming by, electric scooters (e-scooters) seem to be everywhere, with some models now reaching speeds of 20 miles per hour, but Consumer Reports (CR) said that extra speed comes with serious safety concerns.
After testing 13 scooters, CR is not recommending any of them. The biggest concern is speed. When CR tested scooters four years ago, the fastest models topped out at about 15.5 miles per hour. Now, 20 miles per hour is a common top speed.
"The most common top speed for e-scooters now is 20 mph," said Bernie Deitrick of Consumer Reports. "That's faster than any of the models we tested in 2022"
As scooters have gotten faster, injuries have also increased sharply. The Consumer Product Safety Commission counted about 10,500 e-scooter injuries in 2017. By 2024, that number had risen to nearly 80,000. Consumer Reports notes that most of those injuries do not involve another vehicle.
Deitrick, who leads CR's e-scooter testing, says two testers were injured during the latest evaluations. In one case, a tester hit gravel while turning at about 20 miles per hour and injured his shoulder.
"As soon as you begin to brake, your weight naturally shifts forward onto the front wheel of the e-scooter, and the rear wheel is de-weighted, so it's more likely to skid if you're turning," Deitrick said.
CR contacted the North American Bikeshare & Scootershare Association, a nonprofit trade association for the industry, but had not heard back at the time of the report.
If you do choose to ride an e-scooter, CR said safety gear is essential. That includes wrist and knee guards and, most importantly, a properly fitted helmet. CR's highest-rated helmet is the Trek Starvos WaveCel.
CR also recommends keeping your speed down, putting away your phone and headphones, and staying alert to traffic, pedestrians, road debris, and changing conditions around you.
Before you ride, check your local laws. Rules about where e-scooters can be used, how fast they can go, and how old riders must be can vary from one town to another.
