Thousands Were Hurt So This City Is Pulling The Plug On Electric Scooter Chaos

Denver passed a law demanding all scooters come with tech to prevent them being used on sidewalks

                                        https://www.carscoops.com/author/chris-chilton-cc/                                    

Electric scooters have become a go-to option for navigating busy city streets, promising speed and convenience without the hassle of parking or gas. But while they’ve changed the way millions of people move around urban areas, they’ve also turned sidewalks into obstacle courses, and in some cases, landing zones for unexpected ER visits. Now, one U.S. city is drawing a line.

Denver, Colorado, is introducing new rules to control the use of scooters on its streets, and in particular, its sidewalks. The legislation, which passed unanimously, demands all scooters come fitted with technology that can identify when the device is not on a road or cycle lane, and cut all power.

Related: Electric Scooter Explodes In China, Rider Narrowly Escapes

Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure claims it has already started to test sidewalk detection technology, FOX31 Denver reports, but hasn’t revealed exactly how the systems work or how effective they are. They’d need to have some kind of GPS positioning component, but marking out the areas where it’s okay to scoot from those that are no-go zones sounds like a big task.

“This legislation is about more than scooters and bikes, it’s about saving lives, ensuring dignity for all pedestrians and setting national standards for responsible micro mobility,” said District 10 City Councilperson Chris Hinds, per Fox31.

The city’s emergency department and urgent care centers dealt with around 2,000 scooter-related injuries in 2024, many involving broken bones, cuts and concussions resulting from scooters colliding with pedestrians on sidewalks.

New Tech, New Tests

When the rules come into force next year, riders will also be required to pass a short proficiency test before hitting the street on a scooter for the first time. And in 2027 Denver will enact more legislation, this time aimed at preventing people leaving scooters in random places across the city. Riders will have to park them in designated zones such as the ones the DOTI has reportedly been testing near the Denver’s Union Station.

The legality of electric scooters varies across the US, and although Pennsylvania and Delaware are the only states to ban their use, many cities within other states also have their own rules governing the minimum rider age, whether a helmet is required and where they can be ridden. Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Washington and, until 2026, Colorado, are unique in allowing scooters to operate on sidewalks.