Hurt on an electric scooter in Austin: Lime, Bird and finding a scooter accident lawyer

Austin lists Bird and Lime as its shared scooter companies. Report a crash fast. Lime asks for a report within 2 hours, or as soon as you can if hurt. Bird calls for a police report within 24 hours when someone is hurt. Most lawsuits have a 2-year limit, and city claims 45 days.

Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (42)

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Road map of downtown Austin showing the central streets where most shared scooter trips happen
Nearly half of injured Austin scooter riders had head injuries. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

How common are scooter injuries in Austin?

Common enough that the city has studied them. Shared scooters and similar devices logged 2,850,455 trips in Austin from April 2024 through March 2025. An Austin Public Health study counted 20 people hurt per 100,000 trips. Nearly half of 190 injured riders had head injuries. In a CDC review of that study, almost half had a severe injury, and half blamed a surface condition.

City crash counts show 7 serious scooter injuries in 2025, up from 5. The real number may be higher. A city audit says providers must send monthly collision reports, but staff said some riders never tell the company. Report yours, so there is a record.

What are the scooter rules in Austin?

QuestionThe rule
Do I have rights like a driver?Yes. Austin says riders have the rights and duties of drivers.
Can I ride on the sidewalk?Yes, in a reasonable and prudent manner. State law also allows sidewalks and bike paths.
Which streets?State law limits scooters to streets posted at 35 mph or less, with some exceptions.
Helmet?Required for people under 18.
Trails and parks?Scooters are not allowed in certain areas. Check before you blame a trail hazard.
Phone?Using a portable device while riding is prohibited.
Cars passing me?City code treats scooter riders as vulnerable road users, with extra rules for drivers.

An insurer will look for any of these to put blame on you. In Texas, more than 50 percent of the fault ends your claim.

What did I agree to when I unlocked a Lime or Bird scooter in Austin?

More than most people think. Companies update these terms, so save a copy of what the app shows now.

  • Lime's terms send disputes to final and binding arbitration instead of court.
  • Bird allows an arbitration opt-out, by notice within 30 days of your first use.
  • Lime's terms say riders hurt without a helmet waive claims.
  • Bird's terms waive claims against a city for its negligence or dangerous public property.
  • Lime's terms make your own motor vehicle insurance primary.

None of this means you have no case. Texas applies fair notice rules to advance releases, and a waiver may not reach everything or everyone. A driver who hit you never signed anything. Show the terms to a lawyer before you accept that they end your claim.

Who pays for a scooter accident in Austin?

If this caused itLook toClock
A car or truckThe driver's insurer, at least $30,000 per person. Your own uninsured coverage may help.Generally 2 years.
A broken scooterThe company. Lime says it may provide coverage in some places.Generally 2 years, subject to the app terms.
A bad city street or sidewalkCity of Austin, with limits.45 days for the letter.
Another riderThat person. Riders who injure someone must help and give their name.Generally 2 years.

City Code 14-9 requires providers to hold a license. We could not open the city's current director rules, so we could not confirm what insurance those rules require.

What if a pothole or blocked sidewalk caused my scooter crash in Austin?

Move quickly. The city says your letter must go out within 45 days, and the charter says missing notice excuses the city. A May 2026 city document says the charter calls for a notarized affidavit, so get yours notarized.

  1. Photograph the hole, crack or object with something for scale.
  2. Report it to Austin 3-1-1 and keep the request number.
  3. Write the date, time, place, what happened, your injury and your contact details.
  4. Send it to [email protected] or P.O. Box 1546, Austin 78767-1546.

Scooters themselves are among the things the city says often block the right-of-way. If you tripped over a parked one while walking, note that the city asks for at least 3 feet of clear sidewalk.

Who do I call after a scooter crash in Austin?

  • Bird: 866-205-2442 or [email protected].
  • Lime: 888-546-3345 or [email protected].
  • City Shared Mobility: 512-974-7857.
  • Dell Seton, a Level I trauma center, for serious head injuries.

Questions

Do I need a helmet on a scooter in Austin?

The city requires one for people under 18. Lime's terms treat riding without one as a waiver if you are hurt as a result.

Can I sue Lime or Bird in court?

Their terms may push you to arbitration. Bird offers a 30-day opt-out. Have a lawyer read the current terms.

How long do I have after a scooter crash in Austin?

Generally 2 years to sue, but only 45 days for a claim letter to the city.

Who counts as a provider in Austin?

The city lists Bird and Lime. Both must hold a city license.

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Sources (42)

  1. City of Austin, Shared Mobility, checked 2026-11-09. “| Bird | Bird Access | 3,000 scooters | 866-205-2442 [email protected] |”
  2. City of Austin, Shared Mobility, checked 2026-11-09. “| Lime | Lime Access | 3,205 scooters 675 gliders | 888-546-3345 [email protected] |”
  3. Lime User Agreement, checked 2026-11-09. “to us within two (2) hours of the accident or incident via the Lime App”
  4. Bird Rental Agreement, checked 2026-11-09. “Rider shall file a report with the local police department within 24 hours.”
  5. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
  6. City of Austin, File a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “You must send this letter within 45 days of the incident.”
  7. City of Austin Office of the City Auditor, Electric Scooter Enforcement Program (August 2024), council backup copy, checked 2026-11-09. “some e-scooter users may not report an injury or collision to the provider”
  8. Bird Rental Agreement, checked 2026-11-09. “The notice must be sent within 30 days of your first use of the Service”
  9. Austin Public Health, e-scooter injury study memo, checked 2026-11-08. “Of the 190 injured riders, nearly half (48%) had injuries (e.g., fractures, lacerations, abrasions) to the head.”
  10. City of Austin, Micromobility Update (April 2025), checked 2026-11-09. “| Total Trips | 2,915,815 | 2,850,455 |”
  11. Austin Public Health, checked 2026-11-09. “there were 20 individuals injured per 100,000 e-scooter trips taken during the study period”
  12. CDC, checked 2026-11-09. “Almost half of the people we identified had a severe injury, such as a broken leg.”
  13. CDC, checked 2026-11-09. “Half of those we spoke to said a surface condition like a pot hole or crack in the street may have contributed to their injury.”
  14. City of Austin, Severe crashes show downward trend in 2025, checked 2026-11-08. “| E-Scooter Rider | 5 | 7 | ↑40% |”
  15. City of Austin Office of the City Auditor, Electric Scooter Enforcement Program (August 2024), council backup copy, checked 2026-11-09. “The City requires e-scooter providers to submit monthly collision reports to TPW.”
  16. City of Austin, Bicycle and Micromobility Laws and Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “have the rights and are subject to all of the duties and regulations applicable to drivers of motor vehicles”
  17. City of Austin, Bicycle and Micromobility Laws and Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “Riding a bicycle or micromobility device on a sidewalk is allowed, in a reasonable and prudent manner.”
  18. Texas Transportation Code 551.352, checked 2026-11-09. “A person may operate a motor-assisted scooter on a path set aside for the exclusive operation of bicycles or on a sidewalk.”
  19. Texas Transportation Code 551.352, checked 2026-11-09. “may be operated only on a street or highway for which the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less”
  20. City of Austin, Shared Mobility, checked 2026-11-09. “Wear a helmet for safety. This is required for people under age 18.”
  21. City of Austin, Shared Mobility, checked 2026-11-09. “As for riding in park areas and on trails, there are certain areas where scooters are not allowed.”
  22. City of Austin, Bicycle and Micromobility Laws and Safety, checked 2026-11-09. “Using a portable electronic device when operating a bicycle or micromobility device in motion is prohibited.”
  23. City of Austin records, City Code § 12-1-35 Vulnerable Road Users, checked 2026-11-08. “a person operating a motorcycle, moped, motor-driven cycle, or motor assisted scooter”
  24. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
  25. Lime User Agreement, checked 2026-11-09. “exclusively through final and binding arbitration instead of filing a lawsuit in court”
  26. Lime User Agreement, checked 2026-11-09. “If you ride without a helmet and are injured as a result, you waive any and all claims against the Released Parties”
  27. Bird Rental Agreement, checked 2026-11-09. “RIDER EXPRESSLY WAIVES ALL CLAIMS AGAINST CITY FOR HARM CAUSED BY CITY NEGLIGENCE OR DANGEROUS CONDITIONS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.”
  28. Lime User Agreement, checked 2026-11-09. “You agree to use your own motor vehicle insurance as the primary insurance.”
  29. Dresser Industries v. Page Petroleum (Tex. 1993), checked 2026-11-09. “we hold that the fair notice requirements of conspicuousness and the express negligence doctrine apply to both indemnity agreements and to releases in the circumstances before us”
  30. Tex. Transp. Code § 601.072(a-1), checked 2026-11-08. “(1) $30,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person in one collision; (2) $60,000 for bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in one collision, subject to the amount provided by Subdivision (1) for bodily injury to or death of one of the persons; and (3) $25,000 for damage to or destruction of property of others in one collision.”
  31. Tex. Ins. Code § 1952.101(b)-(c), checked 2026-11-08. “unless the insurer provides uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage in the policy or supplemental to the policy. (c) The coverage required by this subchapter does not apply if any insured named in the insurance policy rejects the coverage in writing.”
  32. Lime User Agreement, checked 2026-11-09. “we may provide personal accident coverage and/or rider liability coverage”
  33. City of Austin, Bicycle and Micromobility Laws and Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “Riders who cause injury to a person or damage to property to provide reasonable assistance and give their name and contact information.”
  34. City of Austin, Shared Mobility Regulations and License Application, checked 2026-11-09. “Per Austin City Code 14-9, shared mobility providers must hold a license to operate in Austin”
  35. City of Austin, Staff charter recommendations with charter text (May 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “shall exonerate, excuse and exempt the city from any liability whatsoever”
  36. City of Austin, Staff charter recommendations with charter text (May 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “The current version of the charter requires claimants to give written notice of a claim notarized by affidavit.”
  37. City of Austin, Shared Mobility, checked 2026-11-09. “Report issues and concerns to Austin 3-1-1 by phone or the 3-1-1 mobile app. If you see vandalism or dumping into waterways in progress, call 9-1-1. For other comments and questions, please contact [email protected] or 512-974-7857.”
  38. City of Austin, File a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Date, time and location of the incident Description of what occurred Type of damage(s) or injury”
  39. City of Austin, File a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “City of Austin Law Department - Claims P.O. Box 1546 Austin, TX 78767-1546”
  40. City of Austin, Right-of-Way Maintenance, checked 2026-11-08. “Objects and structures that often block the right-of-way include, but are not limited to, electric scooters, basketball goals, parked vehicles, and mailboxes.”
  41. City of Austin, Shared Mobility, checked 2026-11-09. “Make sure at least 3 feet is clear to allow access for other people.”
  42. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “DELL SETON MEDICAL CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 10/1/2028 O AUSTIN 78701”

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