Electric scooters are the hip, new trend in urban mobility (minus the new part ... and, well, hip is certainly negotiable). But they’re nothing if not ubiquitous. I’m sure you, like me, have been nearly leveled by someone zipping through a crowded sidewalk on one of those two-wheeled concussion-makers.

But in all seriousness, they have become increasingly more popular thanks to a myriad of apps renting them out by the minute. Cheaper and more convenient than ride-sharing, it’s is a very “don’t knock it ’til you try it” way to get around. You won't look all that cool (who cares?), but you'll be breezing past all the haters at a swift 15mph.

But safety is something that’s been an issue for the past few years. The dangers of riding e-scooters (for riders and pedestrians) has long been reported. And scooter related injuries are no joke.

Researchers have noticed a disturbing trend: around 94% of e-scooter riders don’t wear a helmet. And nearly half of those injured while riding an e-scooter sustained significant injuries to their heads. And that’s to say nothing of the pedestrians who get injuried as well.

Which is why Bird, one of the largest scooter rental brands, just announced the launch of its new Community Safety Zones, geofenced areas of high-pedestrian activity clearly marked in the app’s map.

So if you’re traveling near a school (or possibly a shopping center or park) on a Bird scooter, your maximum speed will be automatically reduced to around 8 miles per hour. You’ll also get a message in the app explaining why your scooter has slowed down.