AUSTIN, Texas — In March, Austin imposed new rules on e-scooters aimed at decreasing the risk of injuries. A new audit revealed Austin imposed them without complete data.
According to the audit, Austin "does not have a good system" for tracking collisions and "faces challenges" in getting the data.
In the last five years, users took nearly 18 million e-scooter trips in Austin, yet the audit says the city does not have the necessary information to know the number of collisions or how badly people were injured in collisions. It also doesn't have the information needed to identify trends, compare safety to other mobility modes or educate the public.
How Austin gathers e-scooter crash data
Despite e-scooter providers submitting collision data to the city every month, they're not required to submit a cause for collisions.
The audit revealed providers rely on users to self-report the data. Reports must include the time, location, and severity of the collision, but users sometimes don't report injuries or collisions to providers.
The audit states that it "appears unlikely all collision data was reported" after two providers reported zero collisions between 2022 and 2023. A third provider reported 342 collisions, while a fourth reported 21.
Austin's e-scooter staff said there have been six deaths related to e-scooters since 2018. However, staff with Austin's Vision Zero estimates two to three people die every year in e-scooter-related incidents, which would mean at least 14 deaths.
Other entities like private doctor's offices and urgent care centers help Austin collect data, but their definition of scooter collisions could vary from rentable e-scooters to personal and motorized scooters.
What's next for e-scooters in Austin?
A study by the National Transportation Safety Board highlighted the need for specific police codes for e-scooter collisions and trips so it can assess injury and fatality risks. Yet neither the city nor providers have a definition for e-scooter collisions and crashes, while Austin police say priority calls and staffing challenges make it difficult for them to provide rule enforcement.
According to the audit, the changes Austin implemented in March 2024 did not go through a public process for feedback, and that providers weren't contacted about them.
While other cities with e-scooters face similar issues to Austin, the audit recommends city departments, at a minimum:
- Define key terms around e-scooters, collisions and crashes
- Collaborate with emergency services and police to establish standard codes
- Integrate the crash data into the Vision Zero Viewer
- Update providers on the definitions and monthly expectations
It's recommended that those changes be implemented by March 2025.