Motorized Scooters Causing Many Accidents Across Florida
Last month, a man was killed in a motorized scooter accident in West Palm Beach when he was struck by a car at Okeechobee Boulevard and Meridian Road. The man was ejected from his scooter after being struck by a Hyundai Santa Fe and declared him dead at the scene. In addition, a woman in Fort Lauderdale was left in a coma late last year after riding a motorized scooter and colliding with a car near Southwest Third Avenue and Southwest Fifth Avenue. Ashanti Jordan, 27, suffered a fractured skull, severe head trauma, and is now in a vegetative state.
Fort Lauderdale began allowing the use of motorized scooters last November, with the hope that it would relieve traffic congestion by enabling people to use the scooters to travel short distances instead of using their cars. However, within the first month of use, 35 people reported motorized scooter injuries in Fort Lauderdale, including Jordan. Palm Beach allowed the use of motorized scooters beginning in January. The issue of using motorized scooters in Florida cities is a contentious one, with some cities allowing their use, others attempting to ban them, and the state legislature still unsure of their position on the use of motorized scooters in their state. Delray Beach has proposed a rule banning motorized scooters, following in the footsteps of Hollywood that banned their use in their Florida town last month.
Motorized Scooter Injuries
The use of motorized scooters is on the rise, and with it comes an increased number of accidents, injuries, and deaths from the use of this type of transportation on the roads. The rules are murky on the use of motorized scooters, where some cities ban the use of scooters on the roads, while others allow them on the roads in bike lanes. It’s common to see motorized scooters and bikes weaving in and out of traffic, and drivers are not used to looking out for such a small vehicle crossing the street or utilizing part of the roadway. Helmets are not a requirement for scooter use, while the companies that operate the scooters do recommend their use. And when people on scooters are hit by a vehicle or involved in another type of accident while riding, the injuries can be severe.
Motorized scooters lack the protection of cars and trucks, so when a rider is struck by another vehicle on the roadway the damage can be catastrophic. Injuries reported from motorized scooter accidents include severe head trauma, traumatic brain injuries, facial scarring and disfigurement, broken bones, amputated limbs, road rash and burns, internal organ damage, spinal cord damage, paralysis, and more. If you have been involved in a motorized scooter accident, it is critical that you speak with a personal injury attorney today.
Call or Contact Us
Schedule a free appointment with one of our experienced West Palm Beach personal injury attorneys today at Gary Roberts & Associates by calling or contacting us now.
Resource:
cbs12.com/news/local/man-riding-motorized-scooter-killed-in-crash
