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Last updated November 7, 2026

Pedestrians Hit by Scooter and E-Bike Riders

A pedestrian hit by an e-scooter or e-bike rider on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk in D.C., Maryland, or Virginia can bring a negligence claim against the rider, and sometimes against a rental company. Riders on sidewalks must yield to people on foot. The harder problem is usually insurance, because scooters and e-bikes are not motor vehicles and most riders carry no coverage for them.

This is chapter 5 of The E-Scooter and E-Bike Injury Guide.

Key points

  • On sidewalks and in crosswalks, riders must yield to pedestrians in all three jurisdictions (18 DCMR §§ 1201.10, 1201.11; Md. Code, Transp. § 21-1202(b)(3); Va. Code § 46.2-904). Virginia also requires an audible signal before passing a pedestrian.
  • In D.C., a pedestrian hit by a scooter or e-bike rider is protected by the vulnerable-user law: the pedestrian's own negligence bars recovery only if it was greater than the defendants' combined negligence (D.C. Code § 50-2204.52(a)(1)).
  • In Maryland and Virginia, the rider's insurer can raise contributory negligence against the pedestrian.
  • Your own auto policy's PIP, MedPay, and uninsured motorist coverage generally require a motor vehicle, so they usually do not pay when the only vehicle was a scooter or e-bike.
  • Scooters left lying across sidewalks are a separate hazard. D.C. and Virginia both regulate how riders may park them.

Can a pedestrian sue a scooter or e-bike rider?

Yes. A rider owes people on foot the ordinary duty of reasonable care, and the rules of the road add specific duties. In D.C., a person on a bicycle, motorized bicycle, or personal mobility device on a sidewalk "shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians" and may not go faster than the posted limit of the adjacent road, and a person operating a bicycle, motorized bicycle, or personal mobility device must operate it "in a safe and non-hazardous manner so as not to endanger themself or any other person" (18 DCMR §§ 1201.2, 1201.10). Shared scooter and e-bike riders in D.C. may not ride on Central Business District sidewalks at all (D.C. Code § 50-2201.03c(j)(2)).

Maryland requires a person riding a bicycle on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk to yield to pedestrians, and treats e-bikes and stand-up e-scooters as bicycles (Md. Code, Transp. §§ 11-104, 21-1202(b)(3)). Virginia requires a rider of a bicycle, e-bike, or motorized scooter on a sidewalk, shared-use path, or crosswalk to "yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian" and to "give an audible signal before overtaking and passing any pedestrian" (Va. Code § 46.2-904). Breaking these rules is evidence of negligence.

Does the D.C. vulnerable-user law help a pedestrian hit by a rider?

Yes. The protection applies to "[a] pedestrian or vulnerable user of a public highway or sidewalk involved in a collision with a motor vehicle or another vulnerable user" (D.C. Code § 50-2204.52(a)(1)). A person on an e-scooter or e-bike is a vulnerable user, so a pedestrian hit by one in D.C. is not barred by their own negligence unless it was a proximate cause of the injury and greater than the combined negligence of the defendants. A pedestrian hit in Maryland or Virginia does not have that protection, so the rider's insurer, if there is one, can argue the pedestrian stepped into the rider's path.

Who pays when a scooter or e-bike rider hits a pedestrian?

That is the hard part. Sources to check:

  • The rider's homeowners or renters policy. Personal liability coverage may pay, but many policies exclude injuries arising from motorized vehicles or devices, with exceptions that vary. The exact policy language decides it, so we get the policy itself, not a summary from an adjuster.
  • The rider's employer. A delivery rider working at the time may bring in the employer's or the delivery platform's coverage, depending on the work arrangement.
  • The rental company. If the rider was on a rental and the company's own negligence played a part, for example a known brake problem, the company and its insurer can be responsible. D.C. requires permitted sharing companies to carry at least $1 million in liability insurance per incident (D.C. Code § 50-2201.03b). Some companies also offer rider liability coverage in some locations.
  • Your own coverage. Your health insurance pays medical bills. Auto coverages such as Maryland PIP and uninsured motorist coverage depend on a "motor vehicle" accident, and a scooter or e-bike is not a motor vehicle under the vehicle laws (D.C. Code § 31-2402(17); Md. Code, Transp. § 11-135(b); Va. Code § 46.2-100), so they usually will not apply to a rider-only collision.

Get the rider's name, phone number, and address, the scooter's ID number and company if it was a rental, and photographs of the scene. Riders often leave quickly, and a rental's ID number and trip time can identify the account holder later.

What if you tripped over a parked scooter?

A scooter left lying across a sidewalk can be a trip hazard, and the parking rules help show who was careless. D.C. requires a shared scooter or e-bike to be parked upright, using the lock-to mechanism, leaving "at least 3 feet of unobstructed pedestrian walkway," and without blocking building entrances, driveways, or accessible ramps and parking (D.C. Code § 50-2201.03c(k)). Virginia bars parking a bicycle, e-bike, or motorized scooter "in a manner that impedes the normal movement of pedestrian or other traffic" (Va. Code § 46.2-904). Alexandria tells riders to leave at least three feet of travel space and not block sidewalks, ramps, entrances, or bus stops, and Arlington says companies must remove a misparked device within two hours of a report.

A claim might run against the rider who left it, which requires identifying them through the company, or against the company if it knew about the problem and failed to act. These claims turn on proof of who left the device and when, so photograph it, note its ID number and location, and report it through the city's 311 service so there is a record.

What should a pedestrian do after being hit?

  • Call 911 if you are hurt, and ask the police to identify the rider.
  • Photograph the rider, the scooter or e-bike and its ID number, and the scene, including any sign that riding was prohibited there.
  • Get witnesses' names and numbers, and ask nearby businesses to save their camera footage.
  • Get medical care the same day, especially for a fall onto pavement by an older adult.
  • Do not sign anything from a rental company or an insurer before talking to a lawyer.
Pedestrian accidentsPeople hurt on foot in the DMV Premises liabilityDangerous property and walkways D.C. personal injuryInjury claims in the District

Frequently asked questions

Do scooter riders have to yield to pedestrians on the sidewalk?

Yes, in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (18 DCMR §§ 1201.10, 1201.11; Md. Code, Transp. § 21-1202(b)(3); Va. Code § 46.2-904).

Does D.C.'s vulnerable-user law protect a pedestrian hit by a scooter?

Yes. It covers a pedestrian in a collision with a vulnerable user, so the pedestrian's negligence bars recovery only if it was greater than the defendants' combined negligence (D.C. Code § 50-2204.52(a)(1)).

Will my auto PIP or uninsured motorist coverage pay if a scooter hit me?

Usually not, because those coverages depend on a motor vehicle, and e-scooters and e-bikes are not motor vehicles under D.C., Maryland, or Virginia law.

Where can a D.C. shared scooter be parked?

Upright, using the lock-to mechanism, leaving at least three feet of unobstructed pedestrian walkway, and without blocking entrances, driveways, or accessible ramps and parking (D.C. Code § 50-2201.03c(k)).

Talk to a DMV injury lawyer today

Riders often leave the scene, and rental trip records that identify them are not kept forever. Call us so we can identify the rider and every policy that might pay.

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