Austin Scooter Accident
Austin Scooter Accident
Electric scooters attempt to provide a transportation answer to travel “the last mile.” But since the scooters arrived in early 2018, a lack of regulation, potholes, scooter malfunctions, and unsafe riding practices have sent Austinites to the emergency room.
It is our hope that by educating the public about potential scooter hazards, our community can make an informed decision to use an electric scooter on their next trip. The risk of injury on scooters is already well known. We hope that with more public knowledge and regulation, the high rate of injury can be reduced.
Two Scooter Accidents Over the Weekend Lead to Hospitalizations in Austin
June 7, 2021
A man was injured while riding a scooter in a hit-and-run collision with a pickup truck. The crash took place on Sunday morning at East 7th Street and Red River. The 29-year-old victim sustained serious injuries that required immediate medical attention at the hospital.
He is expected to make a full recovery, according to officials.
Officers are searching for the vehicle, a pickup truck, in nearby surveillance video.
Early Saturday morning a man was injured in downtown Austin by a minivan. The crash took place at around 2:45 a.m. on West 6th Street.
The 25-year-old victim required medical care at Dell Seton. Authorities said that the injuries are not expected to be life threatening.
Scooter Vs. Vehicle Crash Hospitalizes Person in Austin
April 14, 2021
One persona was transported to Dell Seton Medical Center with critical, life-threatening injuries after a crash in south Austin on Friday.
Authorities say the crash happened at the intersection of South Congress Avenue and West Riverside Drive (just south of Barton Springs Road.) The crash happened at around 2:00 p.m.
Austin Scooter vs Auto Accident Leaves Man with Critical Injuries
October 6, 2019
EMS responded to a serious crash at Calles Street and Hidalgo Street involving a scooter rider and a driver on October 6, 2019. The crash happened at around 1:30 p.m. EMS say a man in his 40s sustained critical life threatening injuries.
No info was provided about the driver of an automobile who crashed into the scooter rider.
Death of British Youtube Star raises fears over e-scooter safety
Following the death of British Youtuber Emily Hartridge, many have raised concern over the safety of the vehicles. The 35-year-old was injured in an impact with a truck.
The woman’s death was the first scooter related fatality in Britain. It is officially illegal in the U.K. to ride motorized scooters on roads or sidewalks, however the law is widely flouted.
The fatal crash killing “10 Reasons Why” star Emily Hart happened at a busy intersection.
Austin Scooter Rider Seriously Injured by Driver Charged with Intoxication Assault
June 29, 2019
A woman suffered a fractured skull after being run over by an intoxicated driver in front of Whole Foods downtown. The crash happened just before 5 p.m. Saturday.
The driver of the vehicle has been charged with intoxication. Police said that 24-year-old Jonathan Violante remained at the scene. Violante was traveling eastbound on W 5th Street in a “straight only” lane. While he was passing, a truck stopped, waiting for pedestrians to clear the crosswalk. He attempted to turn North onto North Lamar Boulevard.
Police said when Violante passed the truck, he struck a woman on a scooter, driving over her. Authorities say she has a fractured skull and severe skin abrasions.
Police say that Violante admitted to have been drinking earlier that day. Police say they found two empty 50 ml bottles of vodka under the drivers seat of the vehicle after his arrest.
Violante in in custody and being held on a $20,000 bond. More about the case from CBS News.
Mother Flees to Mexico After Son Dies Riding Scooter with Her
A 5-year-old boy, Caiden Reyes-Ortiz, died after falling from a scooter while riding with his mother.
Police say Evelyn Ortiz-Luevano was riding a Lime scooter recklessly on April 23, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Reports say she rode the scooter into oncoming traffic when she made an evasive maneuver, causing Caiden to fall from the motorized vehicle. He was struck by a car. Caiden was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Police charged the mother, Evelyn Ortiz-Luevano, was charged with child neglect and negligent homicide.
The driver of the vehicle, Renier S. Davidson, fled the scene but later turned himself in. He was charged with leaving the scene of a fatal crash, causing an accident without a valid driver’s license, and driving under suspension.
Lime said that they are cooperating with the investigation.
An arrest has not been made to the mother involved in the crash because she is said to have fled to Mexico.
You can read more coverage about this crash from CNN.com.
Woman sues Lime after malfunctioning scooter causes her to go face first into iron fence
May 6, 2019
An Austin woman is suing Lime scooter company after suffering severe facial injury during a fall. The brakes of the scooter she was riding reportedly stopped working properly.
Austin woman, Dorothy Walker, told KVUE News in Austin about her experience with an “out of control scooter.” The crash happened in August of 2018 when she was riding the device downtown. When the brakes failed to work, she hit the wrought iron gates outside the State Capitol building.
Walker suffered multiple facial fractures, a damaged tear duct, two broken ribs, and had to undergo reconstructive surgery on her face.
Lime has been public about issues with software, and recalled vehicles. A report released in February revealed that firmware caused the scooters to stop unexpectedly. The report from Consumer Reports is also covered later in this post.
Dorothy Walker’s lawyer has sued Lime Scooter company for $1 million for gross negligence.
Austin 311 Says Scooter Calls Make Up Small Portion of Service
Austinites calling into 311 with scooter requests causes alarm for Austin officials whose work is to ensure safety in the city.
The Austin American Statesman reviewed more than 1,400 reports involving electric scooters. Outside of complaints involving the scooters on their property, residents of the city have had serious concerns about the safety of the vehicles including concerns such as:
- Blocking sidewalks and ramps
- Going too fast around small children and pregnant women
- Scooters violating the city’s parks and trails
- A scooter in a tree
- Scooters riding up to 20 mph on sidewalks downtown near pedestrians
But data shows that the complaints, nearly 2,000 of them (between May 2018 and Feb 2019,) are only a small percentage of the city’s 311 reports. The service can be used for service (such as reporting potholes, complaints, questions and general feedback. Scooter complaints made 33rd most popular report in the last 10 months. Other more popular issues included missed garbage, loose dogs, and street light issues.
However, it is important to note that only 597 reports were made about dockless bicycles during that time. Clearly, an issue in understanding regulations occurs between users and those who call in to make complaints.
For more information about how Austin E-Scoots, visit our guide to Riding a Scooter in Austin.
Brake Problems in Lime Electric Scooters Are Causing Accidents and Injuries, Report Finds
February 27,2019
A new report released details that Lime, one of the largest e-scooter companies, has a systematic problem of sudden braking in their fleet of scooters across the country. The company announced February 27, 2019 that they detected a bug in the firmware of their scooters that could cause the riders to stop suddenly and unexpectedly.
The company stated that it was working to issue a series of updates for the firmware which it sayas “immediately results in a material reduction of occurrences.” However they continue to say that riders should exercise caution when using the devices until a final update is released.
They have instructed riders to test the brakes before riding the vehicle. They advice riders to determine whether a scooter is in good riding condition by giving the brake a “tight squeeze.” If the brake does not engage properly, riders are asked to dismount, end the trip, and notify Lime customer service.
Just last month, Consumer Reports released results from an investigation which found that 1,500 people have been injured as a result of e-scooter crashes.
Electric Scooter startup, Lime, began offering services in Austin in 2017.
1,500 People Injured on E-Scooters, Says Consumer Reports
An investigation found that 1,500 were hospitalized with e-scooter injuries across the country. February 5, 2019 Consumer Reports released a finding that at least 1,500 were treated in hospital from injuries from rides on different E-Scooter services.
For the report, 110 hospitals and five agencies in 47 cities were contacted. The cities chosen were those where at least one of the two biggest scooter companies, Bird or Lime, operates.
However holes in the data were found when Consumer Reports was doing the report – some hospitals still don’t track scooter injuries.
Some of the injuries could account for the entrance of scooter injuries into cities before there was time for regulation or proper safety procedures had time to be set in place.
In Austin the ride-share fleets arrived abruptly, creating public clutter and safety hazards.
The CDC has conducted a unique study of e-scooter injury in Austin. Officials expect to have the results of the study sometime this Spring.
February 6, 2019 | Texas Senate Bill 549 Filed by Royce West
A bill filed in the Texas Senate could potentially shake up the stand-up scooter world by placing restrictions on scooter riders and providers. See more about the bill inside McMinn Law Firm’s guide to scooter laws in Austin, TX and beyond.
Mark Sands Dies in First Fatal Scooter Accident in Austin
On February 1, 2019 an Irish exchange student died in a stand-up scooter vs. auto crash in downtown Austin. Mark Sands was 21 years old at the time. The story of his death made news all around the country as it was one of five known scooter fatalities in the United States at the time.
When the crash happened, Sands was heading north in the southbound lane of Interstate 35 frontage road at around 12:52 a.m. on a Friday. An Uber driver in a 2006 silver Volkswagen Jetta changed into the left lane to get on the Southbound I-35 entrance ramp. Sands was riding his scooter traveling north on the southbound left lane. The collision happened around East Sixth Street.
Sands was transported to Dell Seton Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 2:30 p.m. the following day.
Sands was a member of Texas Iron SPikes, a spirit and service organization at the university.
This was the first fatal scooter accident in Austin.
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