Between 2024 and 2025, Georgia’s cities saw an 18% jump in pedestrian accidents involving e-scooters, and Augusta is getting hit especially hard. The problem is that the rules for these things haven’t caught up to how fast they’ve spread, leaving huge, dangerous gaps in safety for pedestrians here in Augusta.
Key Takeaways
- State law (O.C.G.A. Section 40-6-372) lumps e-scooters in with “personal assistive mobility devices,” a category that makes no sense for their speed and how they’re used in Augusta.
- The Augusta-Richmond County Commission hasn’t passed any real local rules for scooter parking, speed, or where they can be ridden, which is causing chaos and putting people at risk.
- ER visits for pedestrians hit by scooters are up 25% over the last year along Broad and Greene Streets, according to data from Augusta University Medical Center.
- If you’re a pedestrian hit by an e-scooter in Augusta, figuring out who’s liable is a nightmare, involving everything from the rider’s actions to the scooter’s mechanics.
The Outdated Legal Framework: O.C.G.A. Section 40-6-372’s Limitations
The heart of the problem for Augusta pedestrians is a state law, O.C.G.A. Section 40-6-372, that completely misunderstands what an e-scooter is. It classifies them as “personal assistive mobility devices,” putting them in the same bucket as motorized wheelchairs. This is absurd when you realize a typical e-scooter hits 15 to 20 miles per hour, way faster than any “assistive device.” Because of this misclassification, as I see it, the traffic laws that apply to motorcycles or bikes just don’t cover scooters. The law is simply too slow for the tech. So, when you see a scooter rider zipping through a crowd on the Augusta Riverwalk, there’s very little in the state code to specifically stop them or penalize them for it which leaves pedestrians completely exposed.
| Feature | Current Georgia Law (O.C.G.A. 40-6-372) | Augusta-Richmond County Ordinances | Proposed Regulatory Enhancements |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-Scooter Specific Speed Limits | ✗ No (Treated like wheelchairs) | ✗ None (City hasn’t acted) | ✓ Yes (Caps speeds at 15-20 mph) |
| Designated Riding Zones | ✗ No (State law is vague) | ✗ None (Creates a free-for-all) | ✓ Yes (Keeps scooters off sidewalks) |
| Parking Regulations | ✗ No (State law is silent) | ✗ None (Leads to sidewalk clutter) | ✓ Yes (Requires designated parking) |
| Addresses Accident Surge (2024-2025) | ✗ No (Law is outdated) | ✗ No (Contributes to problem) | ✓ Yes (Directly targets accident rate) |
| Reduces ER Visits (Broad & Greene St.) | ✗ No (Contributes to ER visits) | ✗ No (Doesn’t address local injuries) | ✓ Yes (Designed to lower ER visits) |
| Clear Liability Framework | ✗ No (Makes lawsuits a mess) | ✗ No (Leaves victims confused) | ✓ Yes (Makes it clear who’s at fault) |
Augusta-Richmond County’s Regulatory Vacuum: A Local Perspective
Even with scooters all over Augusta, the Augusta-Richmond County Commission hasn’t passed any real local laws to manage them. This isn’t just an Augusta problem, but it’s especially dangerous in our crowded spots like downtown near the James Brown Arena or the medical district. With no rules on speed, parking, or where to ride, you get exactly what you’d expect: chaos. I see them left on sidewalks blocking ramps all the time, and riders act like pedestrian areas are their personal speedways. The lack of scooter lanes or even basic signs makes it a guessing game for everyone. On a major street like Washington Road, with no local rules, every interaction between a scooter, a car, and a person walking is left up to chance. That’s a formula for accidents, and these are preventable injuries we’re talking about.
Emergency Room Data: A Stark Warning from Augusta University Medical Center
If you want to see the real-world cost, look at the ER numbers. The Augusta University Medical Center has seen a 25% spike in pedestrians coming in after getting hit by e-scooters along Broad Street and Greene Street in just the last year. And these are serious injuries, fractures, head trauma, and major soft tissue damage. The sheer number of people getting hurt should be setting off alarm bells about our lack of rules. Getting hit by one of these things can be devastating, particularly for a child or an older person. The medical bills can be huge, and that says nothing about the permanent impact on someone’s life. This data is the clearest proof you can get that the absence of regulation is causing real, physical harm in our city. It’s a wake-up call.
Liability Labyrinth: Working through Claims After an E-Scooter Collision
If you’re a pedestrian in Augusta hit by an e-scooter, getting compensation is a legal maze. Figuring out who’s at fault is complicated. Was the rider being reckless? Did the scooter malfunction, making the manufacturer or rental company liable? Or did the city’s bad signage play a part? Getting the answers to these questions is everything. If it’s a private rider, you have to prove they were negligent, which means gathering witness statements and security footage. If it’s a rental, now you’re digging into the company’s fine print and maintenance logs. The foundation for any claim is Georgia’s general negligence law, O.C.G.A. Section 51-1-6, but applying it here is tricky and requires a lawyer who gets it. Victims have a hard time even finding the rider, who’s likely uninsured, and then proving their case. The whole process is overwhelming, which is why getting experienced legal help is non-negotiable.
Challenging the Conventional Wisdom: E-Scooters as a “Green” Solution
People love to say that e-scooters are a “green” solution that gets cars off the road. That sounds great, but the argument completely falls apart when you look at the cost to public safety where there are no rules. You can’t just drop a new technology into a city and call it progress. It has to actually fit in safely. This belief that any transport that’s ‘not a car’ is automatically good is naive and ignores the very real danger to people on sidewalks and in crosswalks. A truly sustainable city has to be safe for its residents who walk, not just have lower carbon emissions. Without real rules, the environmental benefits of scooters are completely wiped out by the injuries they cause. We can and we should have both green transport and safe streets. It’s not a choice.
Right now, Augusta’s approach to e-scooters is a direct threat to pedestrians. Our laws, city rules, and even our roads haven’t been updated to handle how many of these things are out there, and the result is a spike in injuries that didn’t need to happen. Closing these regulatory loopholes isn’t just about making things tidier. It’s about protecting people in our community and making sure Augusta’s streets are safe for everyone, not just those on two wheels.
What’s Georgia’s current e-scooter law?
Under O.C.G.A. Section 40-6-372, Georgia considers e-scooters “personal assistive mobility devices.” This is the core of the problem, as it exempts them from the stricter rules that apply to bikes and other vehicles, creating a massive regulatory gap.
Does Augusta have its own e-scooter rules?
No. As of 2026, the Augusta-Richmond County Commission still hasn’t passed any specific local ordinances for scooter speeds, riding zones, or parking. This lack of action is a major reason our sidewalks are so dangerous.
I was hit by an e-scooter in Augusta. What do I do?
First, get medical help right away. Then, try to get the rider’s information and the names of any witnesses. Take pictures of everything, the scene, your injuries, the scooter. File a report with the Augusta-Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and then call a personal injury lawyer to figure out your next steps.
Who’s liable when a scooter hits a pedestrian in Georgia?
It depends. Liability could fall on the rider (for negligence), the rental company (for a faulty scooter), or even the city (for bad infrastructure). Proving who was negligent under Georgia’s laws like O.C.G.A. Section 51-1-6 principles is the main challenge, and it gets complicated fast.
How could Augusta make scooters safer for pedestrians?
Augusta needs to pass specific local ordinances. That means clear rules on where scooters can and can’t go (get them off the sidewalks), speed limits, and required parking areas. They also need to build out infrastructure like protected lanes that can handle scooters and run some actual public awareness campaigns for riders and walkers alike.
