Why young adults ride e-scooters under the influence
Researchers at the ZHAW have examined why young adults ride e-scooters after drinking alcohol – despite knowing better. The findings of the study aim to support prevention measures.
E-scooters are now a common sight in urban areas and are particularly popular among young adults, but accident rates have also increased. In Switzerland, nearly 600 injuries involving e-scooters were recorded in 2024. Notably, most of these incidents involved riders injuring themselves and operating the e-scooters under the influence of alcohol.
In collaboration with universities in Denmark and Germany, the ZHAW School of Applied Psychology was commissioned by the AXA Foundation for Prevention to examine why young adults decide to ride e-scooters at night, particularly on weekends, and how accidents can be reduced. The researchers analysed video footage and conducted interviews and experiments in Zurich, Basel and Bern.
Making public transport more visible
The findings reveal that young adults are well aware of the risks and traffic regulations. Most of the time, they choose an e-scooter because of social pressures and a perceived lack of public transport options. According to project manager and psychology professor Markus Hackenfort, the decision is not primarily driven by insight or knowledge but rather by spontaneous, situational conditions. He proposes analysing late-night public transport options for young adults and increasing awareness of the alternatives available. To achieve these aims, the results are to be used in a second project aimed at developing preventive measures for this target group. “Instead of focusing on rules, bans or awareness-raising, we want to examine how to create conditions that encourage safer choices,” Hackenfort explains.