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Safety Strategies: E-Scooters

Scooter Safety

Please follow the rules of the road and stay off sidewalks and University Walks when riding bikes, scooters, skateboards, and other personal mobility devices.

• Be mindful of other riders, vehicles, and always yield to pedestrians.

• Store your devices outside of buildings, away from entrances, and secured with a U-lock to a bike rack

• Lock your device – with a key if possible.

  • Never use or charge the battery if it is damaged.
  • Most importantly, keep safe and always wear a helmet!

ON-CAMPUS SAFETY:

  • Reminder, scooters are prohibited within college houses.
  • Scooters are not permitted inside of any University Building.
  • Review Penn’s Guidelines for safe use:

Guideline 21. E-Scooters and Personal Mobility Devices

OFF-CAMPUS SAFETY:

  • Scooter Safety 101 with Wellness and Public Safety!

Be Mindful, Be Safe: Safety Poster

Scooter Safety

follow the rules of the road and stay off sidewalks and University Walks when riding bikes, scooters, skateboards, and other personal mobility devices.Be mindful of other riders, vehicles, and yield to pedestrians.Store your devices outside of buildings, away from entrances, and secured with a U-lock to a bike rack. lock your device with a key.keep safe and always wear a helmet.

FIRE SAFETY:

There are many reasons for the restrictions regarding e-scooters on our campus.

First, because we care for your safety.

Scooters, much like bicycles, are not permitted inside of buildings due to egress concerns. If there were to be a fire in a building, the doorways, hallways and stairwells must be free of obstructions to allow for safe and effective egress of the occupants.

Also, the batteries found in these devices have been known to cause significant fire events.

Read more about e-scooter fire safety in Penn Today: Things to know: E-scooters and safety | Penn Today (upenn.edu)

See the video below.

News coverage of building fire in New York City in 2023.

Lithium-Ion Battery Safety Suggestions:

  • Charge and store the battery in a safe and cool place – away from where people sleep and without any combustibles nearby. Do not store near exits; avoid blocking emergency egress options.
  • Never overcharge the battery, never use charging equipment that didn’t come with your device.
  • Always charge when you are awake and alert. Do not charge overnight while sleeping and do not leave unattended when charging.
  • Stop using your device if the battery shows signs of damage, such as an unusual odor or change in color. If your device needs repairs, have them performed by a qualified professional.
  • Only purchase batteries that are listed by a nationally recognized testing lab and labeled accordingly.
  • Dispose of used batteries properly.
  • Ensure you have a working smoke alarm where you charge your e-bike or e-scooter.