Center for Alcohol and Drug Education Studies

Safer Streets with Micromobility

What is Micromobility?

Micromobility devices may be individually owned; however, the recent surge of devices in cities is due primarily to the deployment of shared fleets by private companies. In 2022, at least 128 million shared micromobility trips were taken in 363 cities across the U.S. Systems are expanding as well, with the highest number of deployed shared micromobility vehicles to date – 250,000. Overall, shared micromobility trips have increased 35-fold since 2010 in the U.S.

While micromobility vehicles have many benefits, such as reduced carbon emissions and traffic congestion, there are serious concerns with injuries and fatalities associated with micromobility use. Research studies examining medical records and emergency room data show that micromobility vehicles are involved in crashes and people are injured and killed while using these devices. An estimated 360,800 injuries related to all micromobility products were treated in U.S. emergency departments from 2017 through 2022. Even more concerning, an estimated 233 fatalities related to micromobility products occurred in the United States during the 6-year timeframe, 2017 through 2022.

Safer Streets with Micromobility

Understanding the fact that micromobility devices are sharing the road (or sidewalks) with motor vehicles, traditional bicycles and pedestrians, there are inherent safety issues. In the publication Countermeasures That Work: A Highway Safety Countermeasures Guide for State Highway Safety Offices, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recognizes that while many behavioral safety issues between traditional bicycles and shared micromobility is common, there are differences that may require additional laws and targeted countermeasures.

To address this need, the Safer Streets with Micromobility: Identifying and Addressing Safety Risks project examines current practices and identifies approaches to enhance safety for micromobility road users. This project also aims to increase awareness of micromobility laws and safety risks for both the general public and law enforcement. The Texas A&M Transportation Institute, in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation, has developed a set of fundamental resources that speak to the issue of micromobility road user safety.