Insights on Electric Scooters: A Comprehensive Study by VTTI
Introduction
Electric scooters, also known as e-scooters, have gained significant popularity in recent years as a convenient and eco-friendly mode of transportation. However, there has been limited research conducted to understand the safety risks associated with e-scooter use. In September 2019, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) embarked on a groundbreaking study to fill this gap in knowledge. This large-scale naturalistic driving study aimed to collect data on e-scooter riders in order to analyze the factors contributing to crashes and near-crash events. Over the span of 18 months, 50 scooters equipped with forward-facing cameras and research equipment collected over 9,000 miles of data from more than 200,000 rides on Virginia Tech’s Blacksburg campus.
The Largest Naturalistic E-Scooter Data Set
The e-scooter deployment at Virginia Tech marked a significant milestone in the field of e-scooter research, as it collected the largest naturalistic data set known to date. The study quantified the safety risks associated with various factors, including behavioral, infrastructure, and environmental aspects. Elizabeth White, the programs and business manager for VTTI, stated, “This was a very exciting research program to be a part of, and our collaboration with many departments on campus was invaluable to ensuring a safe deployment.”
The research team, led by Elizabeth White, comprised of six other Virginia Tech researchers and industry experts. Their findings were recently published in the Journal of Safety Research, highlighting the significant insights gained through the study.
Infrastructure-Related Risks: The Greatest Contributor
Utilizing VTTI’s proprietary data acquisition system (DAS), the researchers discovered that infrastructure-related factors posed the greatest risk to e-scooter users. In fact, loss of control related to infrastructure was found to be the biggest contributor to all crash- and near-crash events, accounting for 47 percent of such incidents. The study revealed that a staggering 67 percent of incidents were caused by infrastructure, followed by the presence of other road users at 19 percent and rider behavior at 14 percent.
One particular finding that stood out was the increased risk associated with transitions from different surfaces. Riders who moved from gravel or dirt to grass were almost 60 times more likely to experience a crash or near-crash event. Similarly, riding off a designated path, or off-road, made users nearly 25 times more likely to encounter such issues compared to those who stuck to shared-use paths.
Notably, the study did not capture any crashes between e-scooters and moving vehicles. Conflicts with other road users were found to be more avoidable through evasive maneuvers, suggesting that rider misjudgment of terrain or infrastructure, or a lack of skill in navigating such obstacles, may be the primary cause.
DAS: A Powerful Tool for Data Collection and Insights
VTTI’s pioneering data acquisition system (DAS), developed in the 1990s, has revolutionized the field of transportation research. DAS allows for an in-depth examination of driver behaviors and has been widely used by researchers to uncover valuable insights. This system, which has been employed on a diverse range of vehicles from e-scooters to semi-trucks, played a crucial role in the e-scooter study conducted by VTTI. The devices used in the study recorded riding behavior and interactions with other road users, ensuring privacy for the riders while providing crucial safety data.
Enhancing Safety for E-Scooter Riders
Based on their findings, the research team recommends the implementation of educational outreach programs for all e-scooter riders. These programs would discuss the significant risks associated with infrastructure, behavior, and environmental factors, equipping riders with the knowledge to make safer choices. Furthermore, VTTI and its partners are committed to studying and implementing measures to enhance safety not only on the Blacksburg campus but also in broader regions.
Continuing Discussions on the Future of Micromobility
VTTI remains engaged in ongoing conversations with campus stakeholders to determine the future of micromobility on the Virginia Tech campus. These discussions aim to address the challenges and opportunities associated with e-scooter usage, ensuring the safe integration of this mode of transportation.
Paving the Way for Safer E-Scooter Use
The research conducted by VTTI, funded in part by the Safety Through Disruption grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s University Transportation Centers program, has paved the way for a better understanding of the safety risks associated with e-scooter use. By quantifying the factors contributing to crashes and near-crash events, this study provides valuable insights that can be utilized to develop safer infrastructure, enhance rider behavior, and improve the overall safety of e-scooter use.
Summary
The historic study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) sheds new light on the safety risks associated with electric scooters. Collecting the largest naturalistic e-scooter data set to date, the study identified infrastructural, behavioral, and environmental factors contributing to crashes and near-crash events. Infrastructure emerged as the primary risk factor, with transitions between different surfaces posing the highest risk. The research team recommends educational outreach programs to raise awareness among e-scooter riders and continue efforts to improve safety in collaboration with partners and stakeholders. With ongoing discussions on the future of micromobility, VTTI’s groundbreaking study has paved the way for safer e-scooter use.
—————————————————-
| Article | Link |
|---|---|
| UK Artful Impressions | Premiere Etsy Store |
| Sponsored Content | View |
| 90’s Rock Band Review | View |
| Ted Lasso’s MacBook Guide | View |
| Nature’s Secret to More Energy | View |
| Ancient Recipe for Weight Loss | View |
| MacBook Air i3 vs i5 | View |
| You Need a VPN in 2023 – Liberty Shield | View |
A historic study has provided first-time insights on electric scooters.
In September 2019, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) began the first large-scale naturalistic driving study of electric scooter, also known as e-scooter, riders. Over the span of 18 months, 50 scooters, equipped with forward-facing cameras and other research equipment, collected over 9,000 miles of data from over 200,000 rides on Virginia Tech’s Blacksburg campus. Deployment of the scooters began in August 2019. After being removed from campus during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were redeployed in August 2021 through the academic year.
“The e-scooter deployment at Virginia Tech collected the largest naturalistic e-scooter data set known to date and quantified the safety risks associated with behavioral, infrastructure, and environmental factors,” said Elizabeth White, programs and business manager for VTTI. “This was a very exciting research program to be a part of, and our collaboration with many departments on campus was invaluable to ensuring a safe deployment.
White was the lead researcher of the team that included six other Virginia Tech researchers and other industry experts. The results were recently published in published in the Journal of Safety Research.
Utilizing VTTI’s proprietary data acquisition system (DAS), researchers found that infrastructure-related factors, the behaviors of e-scooter riders and other around them, and environmental factors all created risk for e-scooter users. They found loss of control related to infrastructure was the greatest contributor, to all crash- and near-crash events, equating to 47 percent. In total, infrastructure caused 67 percent of incidents, followed by the presence of other road users at 19 percent and rider behavior at 14 percent.
Transitions from surfaces, such as moving from gravel or dirt to grass, proved to be the riskiest. Those riders were almost 60 times more likely to have a crash or near-crash experience. This was supported by data showing that riding off a designated path, or off-road, made users nearly 25 times more likely to experience such issues compared to those who rode on a shared-use path.
uring the study, there were no crashes between an e-scooter and a moving vehicle captured. Conflicts with other road users were shown to be more avoidable through evasive maneuvers when compared to infrastructure-related events. Researchers believe this is likely caused by riders misjudging the terrain or infrastructure or a lack of skill in navigating those obstacles.
VTTI pioneered DAS in the 1990s and it is frequently used by researchers to provide an in-depth look at driver behaviors. These systems allowed rider behavior, interactions with other road users, and other valuable safety data to be recorded and analyzed for various trends. To date, it has been used on everything from e-scooters to semi-trucks. For the e-scooter study, devices did not film the rider, just the riding behavior in order to maintain rider privacy. Riders also were limited to the Blacksburg campus.
To improve safety for riders, the research team recommends all riders engage in an educational outreach program that discusses the significant risks associated with infrastructure, behavior, and environmental factors. Meanwhile, VTTI and its partners will continue to study ways to improve safety around Blacksburg and beyond.
“We are in continued conversations with campus stakeholders to determine the future of micromobility on the Virginia Tech campus,” said White.
The project was funded in part by the Safety Through Disruption, a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s University Transportation Centers program. The research was conducted in partnership with Ford and Spin.
Ford later sold off Spin.
—————————————————-