Treatment of injuries sustained in traffic accidents with electric scooters on average cost EUR 133
Treatment of injuries sustained in traffic accidents with electric scooters on average cost EUR 133
Nevertheless, this year there are more registered traffic accidents, wherein electric scooters are involved, accidents entails less injuries than last year, testifies data summarized by BTA Baltic Insurance Company AAS (hereinafter – BTA).
According to statistics by the Sate Police, there were 113 traffic accidents registered in the first 6 months of 2021, wherein drivers of electric scooters were involved. It exceeds the number of accidents during the same period last year. Fortunately, part of accidents did not cause any injuries to the parties involved. In 2021, BTA received by 21% less indemnity claims under personal accident insurance than one year ago, moreover, treatment of injuries required a smaller sum.
Number of severe injuries, treatment of which required more than EUR 300, reduced by 42% in the course of a year. Average indemnity sum decreased as well – from EUR 150 last year to EUR 133. On average it makes a reduction of EUR 17 or 11%.
Very similar kind of accidents prevail on both the occasions, related to inappropriate evaluation of a traffic situation, lack of driving skills and acting carelessly. Injured persons suffered from broken bones, concussions or lacerations, when they slammed into an object they failed to notice timely, slipped on a cobblestone road or lost control over the steering wheel while driving a bumpy road. Moreover, insurance indemnity was disbursed to several pedestrians, who required medical care when an electric scooter slammed into them on the pavement, in the yard or while crossing the street.
“Electric scooters are not new participants of traffic anymore, however, one might conclude that a large part of drivers still does not fully realize driving specifics of this mechanical vehicle, as well as they overestimate their driving skills. Electric scooter is rather swift, it is capable of reaching a speed of up to 30 kilometers per hour, therefore, several meters are required to cover a proper stopping distance. Due to small wheels it is hard to drive an electric scooter on a bumpy road, it can slip on a cobblestone pavement and if it runs into a large pothole, it can make its driver “fly” over the steering wheel. It is definitely unable to overcome the edging of pavements as elegantly as a BMX can, or to amortize the asphalt of pavements broken by the roots of trees as a mountain bike can. That is why electric scooters require careful driving, which should be done with a sense of responsibility”, encourages BTA Insurance Claims Handling Department director Kārlis Liepiņš.
It should be noted that persons aged 18 years and above are allowed to drive an electric scooter, as well as teenagers aged 14-17 years with AM, A1, B1 driver’s licence or a tractor’s driver’s licence.
About BTA
BTA Baltic Insurance Company is one of the leading insurance companies in the Baltics, offering the broadest range of non-life insurance services in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. BTA employs more than 1,000 employees in the Baltics. The largest shareholder of BTA is Vienna Insurance Group AG with close to 200 years of experience in the insurance business. With about 50 companies in 30 countries and more than 25,000 employees, Vienna Insurance Group is a clear market leader in its Central and Eastern European markets, and takes care of more than 22 million customers. Vienna Insurance Group is the best-rated company of ATX, the leading index of Vienna Stock Exchange (since 1994) with a rating of A+ with stable outlook from Standard & Poor’s; its share is also listed on the Prague Stock Exchange. Vienna Insurance Group works in close partnership with Erste Group – the largest retail bank in CEE.
Additional information:
Elīna Rasmane
Marketing and Public Relations Department Director
BTA Baltic Insurance Company AAS
e-mail elina.rasmane@bta.lv