The Segway HT: An Emerging Hazard

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The Segway HTAn Emerging Hazard
Gary A. Smith, MD, DrPH Center for Injury
Research and Policy Childrens Hospital,
Columbus, Ohio
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Segway HT

• Battery-powered
• Five internal gyroscopes provide stability
• Non-tandem wheels
• Use key to activate one of three
• pre-determined speeds

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Segway HT

• Lean body forward to move device forward and lean
  body
• backward to move device backward
• Stops using reverse torque rather than friction
  brakes
• Turns by twisting one handlebar grip
• Zero turning radius
• Platform footprint 19x25 inches max. and platform
  height 8
• inches max.

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Segway HT

• Three versions of the product exist
• Weigh 69-95 pounds
• Travel up to 12.5 mph
• Can carry 250 pound driver
• Can carry up to 75 pounds of cargo
• Range 9-17 miles on a single charge

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Segway HT State Model Legislation

• Introduced in most states in U.S. during early
  2002
• Exempts electric personal assistive mobility
  devices from
• existing state motor vehicle laws
• -Premise Segway device is not a motor vehicle
• -Rebuttal If one calls a chair a semi-erect
  posture supportive device, it is still a
  chair
• Allows Segway use on sidewalks, paths, trails,
  roadways
• and highways

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Segway HT

• Segway calls users of its device Empowered
  Pedestrians
• They are actually POWERED Pedestrians
• We have a name for thisWe call them DRIVERS

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Segway HT State Model Legislation

• There are no minimum requirements for Segway
  operation
• No minimum age requirement
• No licensing or test requirement
• No requirement for use of a protective helmet or
  other
• safety gear

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Segway HT
The purpose of a sidewalk is the separation of
pedestrians from motorized traffic
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Segway HT
Children, elderly individuals, persons with
disabilities, and other vulnerable populations
cannot - and should not - be expected to
negotiate motorized traffic on sidewalks, trails
and other walkways. -Louis Z. Cooper, MD,
FAAP President, American Academy of
Pediatrics April 25, 2002
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Segway HT

• Safety Claim
• The Segway is no wider than a persons shoulder
  width and has a zero turning radius, therefore
  allowing it to safely integrate into the
  pedestrian environment
• However, these product characteristics are
  irrelevant to crash avoidance
• A bicycle or skateboard are narrower than a
  Segway
• Dynamic maneuverability is important, not static
  spinning radius
• No data are available on Segways performance in
  a slalom test

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Segway HT

• Safety Claim
• The Segway has 5 internal gyroscopes to maintain
  stability
• The driver does not have internal gyroscopes
• Drivers high center of gravity (standing, not
  sitting) and lack
• of a restraint system will result in ejection
  with a quick turn
• or stop

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Andy Kjellgren / Special
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
May 3, 2002A member of the Central Atlanta
Progress Ambassador Force is treated for his
injuries after he toppled from his Segway
Thursday night. He injured his knee going up a
driveway onto the sidewalk and was taken to Grady
Hospital. He is the first person reported with a
Segway-related injury.
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Segway HT
Its no different than a fast-walking person,
and does not pose the threat to pedestrians that
skateboards, bicycles or in-line skates
do. -Gary Bridge Vice President of
Segway LLC Columbus Dispatch, March 19,
2002 Pages B1 and B2
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Segway HT

• Safety Claim
• The Segway is less dangerous to pedestrians than
  skateboards, bicycles, and in-line skates
• No injury data exist
• No crash test data are available
• Staged demonstrations of anticipated low-speed
  crashes are not
• adequate substitutes for scientific crash
  performance data

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Segway HT

• Safety Claim
• The Segway stops by using reverse torque, which
  has been implied to be better than friction
  brakes used by other vehicles
• However, there are no data on stopping distance
• performance tests

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Segway HT

• Safety Claim
• The Segway can ride over a persons hand without
  injury
• This is irrelevant to the real injury hazard of a
  collision

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Segway HT

• Safety Claim
• The Segway device will benefit the health of
  Americans because it is non-polluting
• This claim is difficult, at best, to quantify
• It ignores the important potential adverse impact
  of the Segway
• scooter on exercise and obesity
• Lack of exercise and obesity are currently public
  health
• problems of epidemic proportions in the U.S.
  with major health
• consequences

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Segway HT Federal Legislation

• S.2024
• Allows Segway use on sidewalks and bicycle paths
  built with
• federal highway funds
• Approved by Senate Environment and Public Works
  Committee
• without hearings by voice vote on April 25,
  2002

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Segway HT Federal Legislation

• HR1426
• Amends Consumer Product Safety Act to provide
  that low-
• speed electric personal assistive mobility
  devices are
• consumer products subject to that Act
• In House Energy and Commerce Committee,
  Subcommittee on
• Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection

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Segway HT

• NHTSA and CPSC have agreed to give regulatory
• jurisdiction over the Segway device to the CPSC

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Segway HT

• Ron Medford, a CPSC employee, is on paid
  sabbatical and
• currently working with Segway
• However, the CPSC has not submitted the Segway
  device to
• scientific performance evaluation
• The CPSC does not do pre-market testing of
  products

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Segway HT Magic Formula

• Dazzle lawmakers with descriptions of the
  innovative technology
• Assurances of safety by paid lobbyists
• Give lawmakers a ride on the products
• Aggressive legislative and media campaigns
• Limit opportunity for safety professionals and
  advocates to
• respond to legislation
• Money

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Segway HT

• Electric personal assistive mobility devices are
  motorized
• vehicles
• Segway motorized scooters should not be exempted
  from
• existing, thoughtfully developed, time-tested
  motor vehicle
• laws without objective data to support such a
  radical change

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Segway HT

• Benefits of this innovative transportation device
  can be
• realized without unnecessary risk of
  preventable injury
• Use Segway in appropriate settings under
  appropriate
• conditions
• Children are a particularly vulnerable group and
  deserve the
• full protection provided by our laws

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Segway HT
After a year of speculation, inventor Dean Kamen
unveiled his mysterious It, which is a
battery-powered two-wheel people mover. Many
believe it will completely revolutionize the way
people get hit by cars. - Saturday Night
Live April 27, 2002
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Segway HT
For more information go to http//www.injurycente
r.org/segway