Whether in fashion or abroad, the craze for electric scooters is needed in the Twin Cities: more than 4,000 scooters are expected on the streets this summer, double the amount of last year.

The anticipated increase has raised concerns about safety.

Dr. Andrew Zinkel, an emergency physician at St. Paul's Regions Hospital, has seen a slight increase in scooter-related injuries after their introduction last summer.

"I would say 99% [of the patients] we do not wear a helmet, "said Zinkel, who heads the Minnesota section of the American College of Emergency Physicians. "Most people using scooters do not really plan ahead, so they do not wander with a helmet."

Helmets are not required by Minnesota law, nor by Minneapolis or St. Paul's ordinances. But cities and scooter companies recommend them.

HCMC Doctors in downtown Minneapolis, a popular area for the scooter, have seen "very little" scooter-related injuries last summer, according to spokeswoman Christine Hill. But she noted that it was difficult to get an exact figure because the injuries may have been recorded under different medical insurance codes.

This month, two people in California died in scooter collisions. And Atlanta's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced this month an investigation into the increased scooter injury in Austin, Texas, just as it would study an outbreak.

At the request of Austin Public Health, the study "will ask very basic questions about the injuries associated with using scooters without a dock," said spokeswoman Linda Cox. Results and recommendations are expected later this spring.

A study of 249 patients injured by scooter was published in January by researchers from UCLA, in Southern California, the national epicenter of scooter use. According to the study, emergencies most often included head injuries, fractures, cuts, sprains and bruises. Ninety-two percent of the wounded used scooters. Only 4% wore a helmet.

Lime, based in California, said he uses "innovative" technology, infrastructure and education to "set the standard for micromobility safety." This includes partnering with "the industry, the medical community and regulators to create a meaningful ecosystem for this new and evolving technology." . "

Lime launched a new generation scooter with "improved wheels, better suspension, extra braking and better balance". California's Bird has also launched a beefier scooter.

Paul Steely White, Bird's director of safety and advocacy, said the company's research had revealed that "electric scooters and bikes have similar risks and vulnerabilities." The company continues to push for the creation of protected lanes for bicycles and scooters in the communities where it operates. , he said.

Both companies have invested in scooter safety awareness – Mr. Lime said he spent $ 3 million on his Respect Driving campaign on "Safe and Responsible Driving". Last year, Bird formed a global safety advisory committee headed by David Strickland, director of National Highway Traffic Safety. Administration under the Obama administration.

Safety education will be an important factor as officials in Minneapolis and St. Paul decide on scooter vendors. Each city expects to introduce up to 2,000 scooters later in the spring. More than 280,000 scooter trips were recorded in Minneapolis and St. Paul for an abbreviated period last summer.

The trend is encouraged by those who advocate alternative modes of transportation.

"People love them, they are convenient and a great way to get around the city for shorter trips," said Reuben Collins, transportation planner and engineer at St. Paul. "We did not hear any worries last year that could lead us to no longer have scooters."

Cities also hope to educate people on the road etiquette – no driving on sidewalks, for example. Minneapolis encourages people to contact their 311 hotline to share their comments on scooters.

Although scooters appeared with little notice last summer, Minneapolis kissed them. "We have seen it differently from a lot of cities," said Joshua Johnson, mobility manager for the city. "It was not a threat. We wanted to exploit it and reach the potential we saw. "

Meanwhile, scooter injury litigation is an emerging area of ​​law, said Andrew Rorvig, a lawyer at the Bloomington Bar, and personal injury lawyers take note of it. "There will surely be a tragic situation in which a person using a motorized scooter whistles a red light or goes up on the sidewalk of Grand Avenue in St. Paul and causes a serious injury," he said. "Someone will ask" What is my cure? ""