E-scooters, which are electronic, motor-driven scooters have been popping up in urban areas and college campuses across the United States. Companies like Lime and Bird charge riders to rent the scooters, and other companies like Uber and Lyft are also cashing in on the popularity of these devices. However, with the rise in popularity has also come a rise in scooter-related injuries, prompting the Centers for Disease Control to do a study. The study found that the most common injuries are head injuries and broken bones and lacerations. There have also been deaths reported in other states, and as the AJC reports, Atlanta has now seen its first e-scooter fatality.
Early Friday morning, a man departing an Atlanta MARTA station on a Lime scooter was struck and killed. It is Atlanta’s first fatal accident involving a “dockless” scooter being investigated by the Atlanta Police Department. The man was leaving the West Lake station just after midnight when he was struck and killed by a Cadillac heading south on West Lake Avenue. He has been identified as Eric Amis, Jr., 20, of Atlanta.
The driver of the SUV remained at the scene and cooperated with authorities, stating that she attempted to avoid the collision, but was unable to do so. West Lake Avenue was shut down overnight in both directions as police conducted their investigation. Charges have not yet been determined as the accident is still under investigation. Amis is the second Georgian to be killed in an electric scooter accident. In March, a man from Woodstock was killed while riding an electric scooter in San Diego. That man, Christopher Conti, was also San Diego’s first electric scooter-related death.
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