Lee Hill
Electric scooters are becoming a big craze amongst adults and kids these days. There are many factors, which are making them prevalent. But most importantly, they are prevalent for their speed.
Most electric scooters move at a nominal speed of 12-15 mph, but some move at 20 mph. Electric scooters move at a pace set by the state authorities. In America, different states have set different speed limits on electric scooters.
The most common limitation is 15 miles per hour. Most of these scooters have a speed limiter that shuts down the motor’s power supply as soon as you reach the maximum speed limit. However, if your state allows 20 mph, then here are a few models you can consider.
Some Of The Best Electric Scooters That Go 20 MPH
Electric scooters that can go at a speed of 20 miles per hour are perfect for moving around in bustling and bust cities and areas, and you can also use these scooters for traveling to work as they even have good mileage. A few of the best scooters available are
UberScoot 1600w 48v Electric Scooter
The UberScoot 1600W is a super fast scooter than go up to 30mph, which makes it non road legal. It has a 1600W motor, four 12V batteries, and can support up to 265 pounds of weight
Segway Ninebot Max Electric Scooter
The Segway Ninebot is another powerful scooter that can reach up to a speed of 20mph. The Ninebot can travel up to distances of 40 miles on a single charge. It can take a load of up to 220 pounds.
It has several advanced features such as app connectivity, fast charging, pneumatic 10-inch tires, and one step easy folding. It uses a 350W motor and weighs a mere 40 pounds.
Gotrax G4 Commuting Electric Scooter
This is another awesome scooter that can go at a top speed of 21 mph, with a 350W super strong motor and 10 inch shock absorbing tires. It can carry a weight of up to 220 pounds, and can go 25 miles without having to recharge batteries.
Turboant X7 Pro Electric Scooter.
The X7 Pro is the latest release from Turboant that can go up to 20mph. It has 36V battery power and a 350W motor. One of its best features is a weight capacity of up to 275 pounds, which is quite significant for its class.
Rules And Regulations Regarding Electric Scooters In America
In the US, the laws regarding an electric scooter can be too complex and confusing for you to understand. The majority of the US government laws applied to electric bikes apply to electric scooters. However, different states in the US have different speed ranges set on electric scooters.
These states make a few changes and updates in the general law established by the government.
This general law classifies any electric bike as street legal if it has a top speed below 20 miles per hour and a motor with power less than 750 watts.
For electric scooters, there are some changes in this law. Scooters below the top speed of 25 miles per hour are considered to be street legal. You must drive these scooters in bike lanes and can only go on the road if it doesn’t have a bike lane.
While driving on the road, you must drive alongside the road’s right curb and only move left when you have to turn.
How Fast Do Electric Scooters Go?
Generally, most of the electric scooters available in the market have a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour. However, this speed is not constant for all the scooters.
An electric scooter’s speed depends upon various other factors such as seat, battery size, motor Power, battery type, frame weight, etc. As also mentioned above, it’s speed also depends on the speed limit set in the region where you drive the scooter.
Then there are other aspects influencing the speed of an electric bike, such as the user’s weight, type of terrain, etc. If the driving terrain is smooth and cement, then the scooter will most likely reach its top speed.
How Dangerous Are Electric Scooters?
Electric scooters are just like any other vehicle, and you must drive them with full concentration and respect for all the rules and regulations set by the authorities. There is always a risk of hitting a vehicle, pole, losing balance, falling while riding, and so on.
In a calendar year from September 2017 to August 2018, about 249 patients were admitted to hospitals in Los Angeles and Santa Monica [1].
These patients were a victim of accidents with electric scooters. Out of these 249 patients, 228 patients were injured as riders, and the rest 21 were injured as non-riders.
About 100 of these injuries were head injuries, and 79 were fractures. This study is a prime example of how dangerous riding an electric scooter can be without proper safety and precautions.
Safety Concerns Regarding Electric Scooters
Recently, there is a new safety concern among the people regarding electric scooters. A specific glitch allows you to increase the electric scooter’s speed from the allowed 15 miles per hour to 19-21 miles per hour.
This increased speed raises the risk of severe injuries among the users as most cities and states have a preset speed range between 10-15 miles per hour. According to the authorities, this speed of 20 miles per hour is fast for driving in the bike lanes and slow driving on the roads. Now the different electric scooter manufacturers are working on resolving this glitch so that the authorities again deem these scooters safe for the public.
How To Avoid Accidents And Injuries While Riding An Electric Scooter?
There are some essential safety tips and tricks which you must follow to avoid Andy crashes or injuries while riding an electric scooter. Following and adhering to these tips will not only benefit you but will protect the pedestrians as well.
Always focus on the road.
This is a reasonably obvious yet the most crucial tip to remember, as lack of concentration or focus is the foremost reason for accidents regarding any vehicle type.
People are easily distracted while driving or riding a vehicle, due to which they often crash or hit someone or something.
It is a common habit to observe our surroundings as we humans are inquisitive by nature. This habit can prove fatal while riding an electric scooter as they have relatively small tires and less suspension. Driving in a small pothole can easily cause you to lose your balance and fall.
Drive using both hands
Almost every rider makes a common mistake of becoming overconfident once used to driving a particular vehicle. Many riders then start driving an electric bike or scooter with hand and less concentration.
This often leads to significant crashes and accidents. One arm or hand riding is more dangerous for electric scooters because of their low ground clearance. These scooters have small wheels and less suspension in comparison to a motorbike, so.
Driving with both hands on the handlebars allows you to have batter balance while driving. You can also make micro-adjustments to avoid potholes or bumps at a faster speed.
Wear proper safety gear
You must wear proper safety gear while riding an electric scooter. This safety gear includes a cushioned and thick helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, and grippy footwear.
As we mentioned above, the most common type of injuries while riding an electric bike are head injuries and fractures. It is always best to purchase and use certified helmets and be tested for various crashes and accidents.
It is statistically proven that injured patients who wore safety gear had less severe injuries than those who were not wearing them.
Conclusion
Electric scooters are a great way of transportation, but it also has advantages and disadvantages, unlike other transportation. Some electric scooters can travel above the allowed 15 miles per hour to up to 20 miles per hour.
This increased speed exponentially increases the risks associated with it, and there are some essential safety tips that you should follow to reduce the risk of crashes and falling.
