E-scooter accident in Grieskirchen: 13-year-old seriously injured

E-scooter accident in Grieskirchen: 13-year-old seriously injured

On July 18, 2025, there was a unfortunate incident in the Grieskirchen district, in which a 13-year-old boy who drove his mother's e-scooter was injured in a collision. The accident occurred at around 3 p.m. on a sidewalk next to the L528. The 59-year-old car driver from the Braunau district had stopped "giving priority" at an intersection due to the traffic sign. But the 13-year-old noticed the car too late, which led to a right-angled collision. The young suffered injuries to an indefinite degree and was brought to the Wels Clinic for treatment. [5min.at] reports that such accidents are becoming increasingly common, especially among the young age group.

statistics show an alarming increase in e-scooter accidents in recent years. In 2023, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) registered a total of 9,425 accidents with personal injury in Germany, which corresponds to an increase of 14.1 % compared to the previous year. It is particularly worrying that the number of fatalities doubled from 11 to 22 during this period. The most common causes of such accidents are false use and alcohol influence, whereby 41.6 % of the ancient e-scooter drivers are younger than 25 years.

causes of the accident and demographic data

The data from Destatis illustrate that 83 % of the victims themselves were traveling with the e-scooter. Sole accidents are particularly common, of which 33.8 % of all e-scooter accidents made up. A third of the accidents were caused by collisions with other road users, in particular cars, with 48 % of the unsuccessful e-scooter used in such collisions.

The demographic data also show that only 3.4 % of the accident victims are 65 or older, compared to 19.6 % in bicycle accidents. This shows that e-scooters are more used by younger users and may also be involved in accidents. The use of these means of transport in cities is not only growing, but also carries risks that are displaced by carelessly parking and uncertain driving practices [vgv-gmbh.de].

conclusion and future developments

e-scooter are now an integral part of road traffic, but the increasing accident rate, especially among young people, raises questions about safety and compliance. The legal guidelines that have existed since the approval of e-scooters in road traffic stipulate clear guidelines: the use of bicycle paths and protective strips is prescribed, while sidewalks are generally prohibited. A minimum age of 14 years and the 0.5 Promille limit for alcohol should help increase security [destatis.de].

The recent incident in the Grieskirchen district shows that the awareness of traffic safety and education about the correct types of use of e-scooters is more urgent than ever. Manufacturers and municipalities are required to take measures for accident prevention and to improve the safety in road traffic for all participants.