Investigating the association between neighbourhood characteristics and e-scooter safety

The uptake of e-scooters as an alternative mode of travel has risen sharply in recent years; however, their safety is less-understood compared to other modes of travel. For the first time in the extant literature, we explore the association between neighbourhood characteristics and e-scooter safety in Greater London, UK. We found that, over the study period, the expected e-scooter crash frequency was the highest in the City of London, followed by the West End, and then St. James's-both wards located in the borough of Westminster in central London. We found that e-scooter crash frequencies increase with an increase in area-level walking and cycling activities. Similarly, we found that the number of schools is positively associated with the expected e-scooter crash frequency. In contrast, the results indicated that as the proportion of ward-level greenspace increases, the number of crashes involving e-scooters decreases. The results also highlighted social inequalities in this context, with higher e-scooter crash frequencies in areas with larger Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic population, those with higher crime rates, and those with a higher population of children in out of work households. This research provides practical recommendations to prioritise areas for safety interventions and for selecting suitable safety improvement programmes.

Automated summary

This study explores the association between neighborhood characteristics and e-scooter safety in Greater London for the first time. The research findings indicate that the City of London, the West End, and St. James's have the highest expected e-scooter crash frequencies. It is also found that the increase in area-level walking and cycling activities is associated with higher e-scooter crash frequencies, while an increase in the proportion of greenspace is associated with a decrease in crashes involving e-scooters.