Critics Say Death Of Tampa Man Evidence Of Danger Of E-Scooters

TAMPA, FL — Critics of electronic scooter rentals say the death of a Tampa man is further evidence of the dangers of the small, two-wheeled vehicles hailed as an economical, environmentally friendly way for tourists to get around downtown areas.

John Michael Edgerton, 33, died June 26 at Tampa General Hospital from injuries he sustained June 20 when he veered his e-scooter into the path of a tanker truck on South 20th Street near Stuart Street in Tampa.

Edgerton was riding an e-scooter rented from Lime e-scooters. He was not wearing a helmet.

The accident occurred two days after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law lifting a restriction that limited the use of e-scooters in Florida to sidewalks. The bill gave e-scooters operators permission to ride on streets and in bike lanes.

Tampa launched its pilot e-scooter program on May 24 with four scooter companies offering about 900 e-scooters for rent.

Despite safety concerns raised by critics, e-scooter programs have been rolled out in dozens of metropolitan areas across the country to provide an alternative to cars for traveling to destinations that are less than a mile away.

Critics say the e-scooters are dangerous because most people renting them are unfamiliar with operating an e-scooter. And while helmets are recommended, they are not mandatory. They argue that allowing inexperienced riders to zip through downtown streets at 15 mph is a recipe for disaster.

In May, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta completed a three-month study on injuries related to riding rented e-scooters and found that half of the injuries were head injuries that could have been prevented if the rider had been wearing a helmet.

California, one of the first places in the nation to allow e-scooter rentals, has seen numerous accidents involving the vehicles, San Diego resident Karen Millhouse told Patch.

"There have now been at least 12 deaths in the U.S., three alone here in San Diego," said Millhouse. "We just had the third one this past Sunday. Various companies have randomly dropped more than 20,000 dock-less scooters here in San Diego, and they just keep coming. The city council has not put a cap on any of the companies, and there is no enforcement of the regulations of any kind."

She said the group Disability Rights California filed a class action lawsuit in January against the city of San Diego and three e-scooter companies because the prevalence of e-scooters on sidewalks is limiting access by the disabled.

"A friend of mine started his own YouTube page of scooter crashes taken from his balcony on the Mission Beach Boardwalk here in San Diego," Millhouse said. "Lots of ouch moments. Check out the one called 'Boardwalk Bedlam.' I hope people in other cities fare better than we have."

Millhouse provided photos of e-scooters clogging the streets of Little Italy in San Diego and stacked on a nearby beach.

These same concerns prompted the City of Clearwater to ban e-scooters for six months so city leaders can observe Tampa's pilot program.

See related story: Man Critical After 1st E-Scooter Accident In Tampa