INDIANAPOLIS — Thousands of electric scooters are out around the City of Indianapolis every month. They have been available for several years now and as they grow in popularity, local health leaders are warning about the safety of it all.
Surgeon Dr. Ashley Meagher said as the popularity grows with scooters, so do the number of severe injuries in her trauma bay.
“We’re still investigating the reason for that, but I suspect it has something to do with people increasingly using the scooters, increasingly using them at higher speeds and then also the involvement of alcohol,” Meagher said.
IU Health Methodist Hospital data shows last year, scooter injuries were four times higher than the previous six-year average. This year is expected to surpass all of it.
“In the last month we’ve had two high profile deaths that resulted in scooters,” Meagher said.
Earlier this week, a man died after he was struck while riding a Lime scooter.
The general surgeon’s team is seeing more traumatic brain injuries, rib fractures and internal bleeding involving the liver when it comes to e-scooter accidents.
“For the people that we have tested for alcohol when they’ve arrived — 67% of patients are positive for alcohol,” Meagher said.
To keep safe, Meagher asks riders to wear safety gear, wear bright clothing if riding at night and avoid alcohol. Some of those reminders are printed right on the scooters.
“This is marketed as something that’s safe and an alternative to driving, but it’s not. It’s not completely safe if you don’t take the right precautions,” Meagher said.
Lime was the only company to respond to WRTV’s request for comment before deadline. A spokesperson released this statement:
"Safety comes first and always at Lime. It guides how we design and upgrade our vehicles, develop rider education and training, and work with cities to improve how streets are built to prioritize people over cars. While this approach has yielded a strong safety track record, with 99.99% of trips ending without a reported incident last year, we strive to ensure every ride ends safely and without incident."
-
Neighborhoods around Indy metro area experience longer wait times for pick-up
Some Indy neighborhoods are experiencing delays for trash pick-up after last week’s snowstorm. One of them is Garfield Park South, where residents tell us it’s taken two weeks to be picked up.
Community supports delivery driver who went the extra mile to deliver pizza
Connor Stephanoff is a Rock Star Pizza delivery driver who has recently gone viral for ensuring his customers got their food despite the snow.
Anderson police investigating shooting that left 18-year-old injured
Police in Anderson are investigating after an 18-year-old was shot in the 1600 block of E 38th Street on Tuesday night.
Veterans gather at Indiana Statehouse to discuss legislation and priorities
Veterans from across Indiana gathered at the Statehouse on Tuesday advocating for legislation that impacts their lives. One piece of proposed legislation has drawn concern among veterans.
