Letter: E-Scooters Injuries: A New Epidemic
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To the Editor:
With the advent of the Bird e-scooters in Pittsfield, available to anyone with a license, a few cents, and a cell phone, I hope that Berkshire Medical Center's emergency room is ready for the traumatic brain injuries coming down the road.
The rentals don't include helmets and I've seen plenty of people having a blast — laughing and zipping along next to traffic — some riding double and no one wearing a helmet. They feel like a toy but they aren't toys: E-scooters are one of the most dangerous vehicles on the road with double the head injuries of cyclists — the injury rate is comparable to motorcycle riding. This includes the pedestrians who are struck by scooters.
The title of a 2021 medical article says it all: "Electric Scooter-Related Injuries: A New Epidemic in Orthopedics." Richmond, Va., has a longer history of Bird scooters, and thriving personal injury legal practices dedicated to defending scooter accident victims. How is this a good thing for Pittsfield?
Sarah Gardner
Williamstown, Mass.
Tags: scooter,
