Electric scooter accident in El Paso: rules, rental terms and who pays

El Paso has rules for shared scooters: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., bike lanes first, and 2 feet from people on sidewalks. Texas limits scooters to streets posted 35 mph or less. If the city's street hurt you, a sworn notice is due in 90 days.

Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (38)

Electric scooter accident in El Paso? See if you are owed money.

$0 upfront. No fee unless you win.

Free to send, no obligation. A law firm that handles this type of case in your state reviews it. How this works
Road map of central El Paso with streets posted at lower speeds shown lighter than the arterials
El Paso limits shared scooters to 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Are electric scooters even running in El Paso right now?

We could not confirm which shared scooter company, if any, operates in El Paso today. The city's page still lists its rules and says to contact the provider or 311, but it does not name a provider. Many scooter injuries here may involve a privately owned scooter or an out-of-town rental. The agencies and deadlines below still apply.

City rule for shared devicesWhat it says
Hours6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Where to rideBike lanes when available
On a sidewalkStay 2 feet from all pedestrians
PhonesNo mobile phones while riding
HelmetEncouraged, not listed as required
Near streetcar tracksThe city warns riders to take care

Your own scooter is treated differently under the city's sidewalk rule. The ban on driving on sidewalks does not apply to a motor assisted scooter. Texas allows scooters on bike paths and sidewalks unless a local rule says no. A kick scooter is another matter: city code limits razor scooters on the roadway except when crossing at a crosswalk.

Who pays for an e-scooter injury in El Paso?

That depends on what caused the fall. Work through the list:

  1. A car hit you: the driver's insurer. Texas requires at least $30,000 per person.
  2. A driver with no insurance: your own uninsured motorist coverage, if your policy applies.
  3. A broken scooter: the rental company or the maker, depending on the app's terms and the defect.
  4. A hole or broken street: the city, the county or TxDOT, each with its own deadline.

Texas motor vehicle provisions do not apply to a motor-assisted scooter, which means auto insurance rules for scooters themselves may not help you. A scooter with a motor over 40 cubic centimeters may not count as a motor-assisted scooter at all. Motor vehicle crashes and loss of control are the top hazards in scooter deaths nationwide.

Can a rental app stop me from suing after a scooter crash in El Paso?

It may try. Rental apps come with long terms you agreed to with one tap. Lime's terms send disputes to final and binding arbitration. Bird's terms give 30 days from first use to opt out of arbitration. Lime's terms say riders without helmets waive claims if hurt as a result.

Those are general terms, and we did not confirm which app, if any, serves El Paso now. Texas does put limits on them. Its fair notice rules apply to advance releases. Under the Texas Arbitration Act, injury claims need a written agreement on advice of counsel, though federal arbitration law can still control.

  • Screenshot your ride history and the app's terms the same day.
  • Report the crash in the app. Lime asks for it within 2 hours, or as soon as you reasonably can if hurt.
  • Call police. Bird's terms ask for a police report within 24 hours when someone is hurt.
  • Report a dangerous or badly parked device to the provider or 311. The provider has 2 hours on weekdays to deal with it.

What if a bad street caused my scooter accident in El Paso?

Small wheels catch what cars roll over. In a study of Austin riders, half blamed a surface condition. If it was a City of El Paso street, send a sworn written notice to the Mayor within 90 days, or within 6 months for good cause. Include the date, place, how you were hurt, witnesses and your doctors.

Other public bodies generally get 6 months, and a city charter can set a shorter time. Report the pothole through 311 and keep the confirmation. Get a report from EPPD Records for $6 if police came. A lawsuit generally must follow within 2 years, and being more than 50 percent at fault ends the claim.

Where should I go in El Paso for a serious scooter injury?

A head injury from a scooter can look small at first. University Medical Center of El Paso is a Level 1 Trauma Center and its main number is (915) 544-1200.

On the East side, The Hospitals of Providence East Campus is a Major Level II Trauma Center. Nationally, there were about 380,000 emergency visits for e-scooters from 2017 through 2024. Keep every record, and tell the doctor how the fall happened.

Questions

Do I need a helmet on a scooter in El Paso?

The city encourages a helmet on shared devices. A rental app's terms may treat it differently, so check them.

Can I ride a scooter on the sidewalk in El Paso?

A motor assisted scooter is outside the city's ban on driving on sidewalks. Riders of shared devices must stay 2 feet from pedestrians.

How long do I have after a scooter accident in El Paso?

Generally 2 years to sue. A claim against the city needs a sworn notice within 90 days.

Can I ride a scooter on Montana or Dyer?

Only on stretches posted 35 mph or less under state law. Check the posted limit where you crashed.

Electric scooter accident in El Paso? See if you are owed money.

A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.

See if I’m owed money

Sources (38)

  1. City of El Paso Shared Use Mobility Devices, checked 2026-11-09. “Operating hours shall be limited to 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.”
  2. City of El Paso Shared Use Mobility Devices, checked 2026-11-09. “Riders must use bike lanes when available.”
  3. City of El Paso Shared Use Mobility Devices, checked 2026-11-09. “riders must maintain a distance of two feet from all pedestrians”
  4. 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”
  5. City of El Paso City Attorney, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “shall within 90 days or within 6 months for good cause shown from the date the damage occurred or the injury was received, give notice in writing to the mayor”
  6. City of El Paso City Attorney, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be sworn to by the person claiming damages or by someone authorized by him to do so on his behalf”
  7. Bird Rental Agreement, checked 2026-11-09. “The notice must be sent within 30 days of your first use of the Service”
  8. City of El Paso Shared Use Mobility Devices, checked 2026-11-09. “Shared Use Mobility Device concerns can also be reported to the City of El Paso through 3-1-1”
  9. City of El Paso Shared Use Mobility Devices, checked 2026-11-09. “Riders may not use mobile phones while operating a device.”
  10. City of El Paso Shared Use Mobility Devices, checked 2026-11-09. “Use of a helmet is encouraged.”
  11. City of El Paso Shared Use Mobility Devices, checked 2026-11-09. “When riding near streetcar tracks, the El Paso Streetcar encourages you to be streetcar-safe.”
  12. El Paso City Code 12.80.090, checked 2026-11-09. “This prohibition does not apply to the driving of a motor assisted scooter”
  13. 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.”
  14. El Paso City Code Chapter 12.80, checked 2026-11-09. “razor scooters, or similar roller devices, shall go upon any roadway, except while crossing a street on a crosswalk”
  15. Texas Transportation Code 601.072, checked 2026-11-09. “$30,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person in one collision”
  16. Texas Insurance Code 1952.101, checked 2026-11-09. “protects insureds who are legally entitled to recover from owners or operators of uninsured or underinsured motor vehicles”
  17. Texas Transportation Code 551.352, checked 2026-11-09. “A provision of this title applicable to a motor vehicle does not apply to a motor-assisted scooter.”
  18. Texas Transportation Code 551.351, checked 2026-11-09. “a gas or electric motor not exceeding 40 cubic centimeters”
  19. CPSC, checked 2026-11-09. “Motor vehicle accidents and control issues were the top hazards associated with e- scooter fatalities.”
  20. Lime User Agreement, checked 2026-11-09. “exclusively through final and binding arbitration instead of filing a lawsuit in court”
  21. 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”
  22. 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”
  23. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 171.002, checked 2026-11-09. “each party to the claim, on the advice of counsel, agrees in writing to arbitrate”
  24. Lime User Agreement, checked 2026-11-09. “to us within two (2) hours of the accident or incident via the Lime App”
  25. Bird Rental Agreement, checked 2026-11-09. “Rider shall file a report with the local police department within 24 hours.”
  26. City of El Paso Shared Use Mobility Devices, checked 2026-11-09. “must be addressed within two (2) hours of the provider receiving the notice during weekdays”
  27. 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.”
  28. City of El Paso City Attorney, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “the name of the doctors, if any, to whose care the injured person is committed”
  29. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.101, checked 2026-11-09. “not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred”
  30. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.101, checked 2026-11-09. “A city's charter and ordinance provisions requiring notice within a charter period permitted by law are ratified and approved.”
  31. City of El Paso, Streets and Maintenance FAQs, checked 2026-11-08. “If you spot a pothole, cracks, or other damage on any city street surface, you may report it online or by calling us at 3-1-1.”
  32. El Paso Police Department, Records & Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “Accident or Crash Reports $6.00”
  33. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
  34. 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”
  35. UMC El Paso, 2024 Annual Report, checked 2026-11-08. “UMC Receives Reverification as Level 1 Trauma Center”
  36. University Medical Center of El Paso, checked 2026-11-08. “Main Number: (915) 544-1200”
  37. The Hospitals of Providence, Awards & Distinctions, checked 2026-11-08. “The Hospitals of Providence East Campus is recognized as a Major Level II Trauma Center”
  38. CPSC, checked 2026-11-09. “E-Scooters: There were an estimated total of 380,000 ED visits from 2017 through 2024”

Editorial policy

See if I’m owed moneyNo fee unless you win
AccidentsCitiesStatesGuides
See if I’m owed money