2 teens seriously hurt after e-scooter collides into car in El Cerrito
EL CERRITO, Calif. (KGO) -- Two teenagers were hospitalized Wednesday after an e-scooter they were both riding on crashed into an SUV in El Cerrito, according to police.
Police said the e-scooter was speeding and traveled past a stop sign on the Ohlone Greenway before entering the roadway and colliding with the SUV.
Rodger Rosenberg, an Albany resident who was at a nearby dog park with his dog, Sage, said he heard the crash and saw the aftermath.
"I suddenly heard two loud bangs and turned around, saw the kid laying there, and the car stopped. And so everybody ran over here," Rosenberg said.
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The juveniles were not wearing helmets, and the extent of their injuries was not immediately known.
People walking or riding along the greenway will see stop signs and a sensor activates warning lights. However, drivers do not have a stop sign at the crossing, something some residents say should be changed.
Asked what solution he would support, Rosenberg said: "More signage. I mean, just put stop signs right there in the area there and there, and you're done."
A couple of councilmembers told ABC7 Eyewitness News they support installing stop signs at all Ohlone Greenway intersections.
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"I've asked several times that stop signs be added for cars along every street crossing the Ohlone Greenway in El Cerrito," said El Cerrito City Councilmember William Ktsanes in an email.
"Ideally, bicyclists should always stop at stop signs and wear helmets, but we all know that they often do not. The consequence should not be severe injuries or death. We need to be realistic about people's habits and respond accordingly. I have long supported adding stop signs at all Ohlone Greenway intersections for the safety of all road users - people walking, biking, scooting, and driving. Albany has stop signs at all of its Ohlone Greenway intersections, and those stop signs prevent conflicts," said Mayor Pro Tem Rebecca Saltzman in an email.
The crash comes as concerns grow over injuries involving electric micro-mobility devices.
In San Francisco, electric scooter accidents are on the rise, increasing from nine incidents in 2017 to 181 in just the first six months of this year, according to city data.
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That's more that 20 times the number of injuries in less than 10 years. Dr. John Maa, of the American College of Surgeons, who has researched such incidents for the past six years, said the crash should serve as a reminder about safety.
"I hope the children recover. I hope that their parents recognized the dangers and that all corrective measures were taken. I think we have to take this as a teachable moment and raise awareness with the public that electric scooter riders should be 16 years of age, required to have a driver's license, and are required to wear a helmet," Dr. Maa said.
In a Facebook post, El Cerrito police said they have been cracking down on illegal e-motos and reminded parents to understand the laws governing what are referred to as electric micro-mobility devices.
Police said parents should know whether a driver's license or helmet is required, where the devices may be ridden and the maximum speed of their child's device.
