Across college campuses and in downtown areas nationwide, electric scooter rentals are cropping up. The concept is simple: scan a scooter with your phone, pay $1 to start it, then pay by the minute for the use of the scooter.
If a person is just zipping from one class to another or from a downtown job to an apartment, motorized e-scooters are an ideal way of getting around. However, there is a downside to these electric scooters. No helmets are provided by the rental companies and in many cases, they absolve themselves of responsibility for accidents and injuries that happen on their scooters.
The Tampa Florida Patch reports on the things a person should know before renting an e-scooter.
St. Petersburg, Florida is looking to Tampa’s pilot one-year e-scooter program to determine if the city should implement its own. Right now, Tampa is in the third month of the 12-month pilot program.
On May 24th, Tampa’s e-scooter program launched, providing about 900 e-scooters from four national scooter companies.
Advocates of e-scooters say that they will help tourists get around crowded downtown areas. They also believe that eventually, the availability of the scooters will relieve congestion.
Critics, however, say that e-scooters pose a health hazard. This is because the user agreements that riders agree to in their rental contract often absolve the companies renting the scooters from liability if the scooter rider is hurt or the rider crashes into a pedestrian, injuring them.
Some scooter riders have been injured when the scooters hit a pothole, throwing them from the vehicle. One man ended up with shattered bones in his leg, which required surgery to correct. He is now facing a $100,000 hospital bill which he is unsure health insurance will cover.
College student suffers severe injuries in motorcycle accident A junior at the University of Central Florida (UCF) suffered severe injuries in a Florida motorcycle accident on the State road 408 in Orlando. As reported in the Orlando Sentinel, Radley Gillis, age 21, was riding home from work on his bike. His friend, Jake Adler, age 20, was driving behind him in his truck...
The Truth about Skin Grafts to Treat Road Rash Road rash is one of the most common types of injuries that can occur when riding a motorcycle or bicycle. Unlike traveling in a passenger vehicle, when riding a motorcycle or a bicycle, you are more open to injuries like road rash because there is nothing between you and the road if you are in...
Unhelmeted Motorcycle Rider Dies in Florida Motorcycle Crash – Helmet Law Revisited On November 20th, 2011, a motorcycle passenger was killed in a Sunday afternoon crash in Florida. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Basmattie Persad, 43, was not wearing her helmet at the time of the motorcycle crash. She was riding on her uncle’s motorcycle without a helmet; however, her uncle Ramlakhan Singh, 58, of Groveland,...
Why It Is Important to Tell Your Lawyer Everything Following a Motorcycle Crash After being involved and injured in a motorcycle crash, it might be hard to find someone who you can rely on and trust. When you are looking at different attorneys to handle your case, keep in mind that the only way an attorney can represent you the best is if he or she knows everything....
Motorcycle Fatality Rates in Florida Among Highest in Nation According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV), motorcycle fatality rates in Florida are among the highest in the nation, with 590 people killed by such crashes in 2022 alone. There are many ways you can help to prevent motorcycle fatalities, including by riding safely and watching out for motorcyclists. If you do...
Do I Need to See a Doctor After a Motorcycle Accident? After a collision between your motorcycle and a vehicle, getting needed medical care should be your first priority. Leaving injuries undiagnosed or untreated could lead to a worsening of your symptoms and outcome. Even if you do not require immediate emergency care, it is still essential to see a doctor after a motorcycle accident. You...
What to Do if I’m Injured at Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally The Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally draws hundreds of vendors and entertainers, plus tens of thousands of bikers, to Panama City Beach twice each year. If you get involved in a bike crash at the rally, you can protect your health and your rights by getting immediate medical assistance and seeking legal help from a Florida...
Should I Hire a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer? You should consider hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer because, while you can handle your personal injury case yourself, an attorney will protect your rights and fight for fair compensation, allowing you to focus on healing. A Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident lawyer has experience representing crash victims. If you or someone you love suffered severe injuries in...