Electric scooter schemes reduce bicycle collisions by 20 per cent - study
Researchers from the University of Bristol compared collision rates.
Last updated 21st Mar 2025
Electric scooter schemes appear to reduce the risk of bicycle collisions by around 20 per cent, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of Bristol compared collision rates in areas before and after the introduction of an e-scooter scheme, to areas without such schemes.
The study, published in the journal Injury Prevention on Friday, looked at routinely collected police data on road collisions in the UK between 2015 and 2023.
It is believed the reduction is due to the "safety in numbers" hypothesis - in which forms of transport such as bicycles and e-scooters become safer as more people use them.
This is possibly because car drivers take more care.
Yoav Ben-Shlomo, professor of clinical epidemiology at the University of Bristol, said: "We were delighted to confirm the safety in numbers hypothesis but we need further data to be sure this is a real effect.
"If more people are encouraged to cycle, because the roads are safer, there are potentially even larger positive effects. Not just from fewer accidents but because of the health benefits of being more physically active."
Trials of rental e-scooters on roads in England have been ongoing in towns and cities since July 2020, following the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Overall rates of collisions for all vehicles went down during the pandemic, likely due to lockdowns and restrictions on travel and socialising.
When restrictions lifted, overall traffic collision rates returned to pre-pandemic levels for all areas. This was regardless of whether they had an e-scooter scheme.
However, the study found that the rate of bicycle collisions was about 20% lower in the e-scooter scheme areas after they were introduced when compared to the pre-pandemic period.
After pandemic restrictions were lifted, all bicycle collision rates in e-scooter scheme areas remained at least 10% lower than expected compared to control areas.
Rates stayed 20% lower for the most serious and fatal bicycle collisions in e-scooter scheme areas.
The study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), found that combining cycle and e-scooter collisions together did not change the results.
This suggests the reduction in bicycle collisions did not come at the cost of more e-scooter collisions.
Zoe Banks Gross, founder of cycling group East Bristol Kidical Mass, added: "This research showing a decrease in cycling collisions alongside the increased use of e-scooters is positive.
"Increasing actual and perceived safety is important to encourage more people to cycle."
She called for more space on roads for active travel and micromobility - using forms of transport such as bicycles and e-scooters.
Researchers say their work is the first natural experiment to examine micromobility "safety in numbers".
Brian O'Kelly, manager of cycling group Bristol Road Club, said: "The safety in numbers hypothesis is true in that it changes the way a motorist views cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
"When you see a lot of the same thing, such as a slow cyclist, you get less triggered and so use better judgment in passing them."