Public Perception of Electric Scooter Use in Sicily: Analysis of Post-Pandemic Opinions

Abstract

Urban mobility is a current and hot topic for local administrations, and not only due to the numerous road accidents in urban areas, often caused by the incorrect behaviour of scooter drivers. The diffusion of electric scooters occurred, above all, after the pandemic. While on the one hand, social distancing has forced many to re-evaluate traveling by car, there are many citizens who have adopted innovations such as pedal-assisted bicycles and, above all, electric scooters -the latter being the protagonists of a real boom. In addition to ensuring fast travel and ease of use, the electric scooter and its use have sparked public debate regarding safety and apparent deregulation. Very often in Italy and beyond, the use of electric scooters is associated with a perception of fear and scepticism about micro-mobility, as well as the diffusion of some models relating to sustainable mobility. This derives in part from the previous characteristics of the vehicles produced and manufactured in China that do not comply with the law, and in that case, are truly dangerous. But given the recent rules at both the Italian and European levels, we are very often protected against products that do not comply with the laws, and therefore, we have greater road safety. The recent legislation on use on Italian roads has changed the characteristics of users, vehicles, and infrastructures in which to circulate.The safety of the electric scooter has been a long-debated topic, especially since this vehicle has seen a boom in sales and rentals since 2020, thanks to the incentives for the purchase and the willingness of Italians to use public transport less and less. To define the choice of an electric scooter as a sustainable modal choice, it is necessary, beyond safety, to investigate the perception of users in terms of gender equity, use in the first and last mile, and perception in terms of green transport modes. Starting from this, a survey was implemented, and subsequently, a descriptive statistical analysis was conducted on about 550 users in the metropolis of Palermo in Sicily. The results related to the period 2019-2022 showed that the electric scooter is certainly a practical and green vehicle but must be driven with the same attention we pay in cars or motorcycles. The chi-square analysis defined the trend variations connected to the users' psychosocial parameters according to the user's gender and age. The scenario shows the need for timely interventions, above all to protect vehicle users but also pedestrians who are often involved in accidents due to the use of vehicles on sidewalks. The survey shows that scooter users are the first to request more safety, starting with the creation of protected lanes such as cycle paths or dedicated areas.