The life (and death) cycle of a scooter

(CHICAGO, IL)…Most of the nation is still deep in winter, but even so, it’s hard to ignore the lure of spring bringing warmer temperatures, a new growing season and scooters back on the road.

“The Scooter Pilot Program received a great deal of interest and excitement in Chicago last summer,” says Jeffrey Kroll, Partner with Kaveny + Kroll Trial Attorneys (www.kavenykroll.com) and an advocate for transportation safety. “Based on this, the city is planning to roll out another pilot program in specific neighborhoods, to better assess the pros and cons.”

Jeffrey Kroll has a unique perspective on issues involving shared and alternative transportation, which while offering many advantages over ‘planes, trains and automobiles,’ none the less are among the most vulnerable on the roads. In 2019, Kroll represented and achieved justice in the first shared bicycle case on behalf of the family of a young woman, who was killed when riding her Divvy bike across a Chicago intersection.

From this vantage point, Kroll, like many others, emphasizes injury and death as the two greatest issues that need to be addressed. Supporting Kroll’s viewpoint are the facts and figures, not just locally but nationally and worldwide. Over 29 scooter related deaths have occurred since 2018. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) observed a “dramatic increase” in injuries and hospitalizations associated with e-scooter use in the US from 2017 to 2018. A joint study from Austin Public Health and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last May estimated 20 rider injuries per 100,000 trips.

“No training program, no helmet requirements, lots of red flags,” says Kroll. For novices trying to maneuver through traffic, this is a recipe for disaster.  We have already recorded a number of injuries (many being to the head) and accidents.  If our safety measures don’t improve, inevitably, we will see even more broken bones…and broken dreams.”

While the Scooter came to be with hopes that it could offer Chicagoans a greener and economically efficient means of transportation, there still remains much room for improvement.  Cities throughout the country, and the world, have banned scooters and/or issued strong warnings and requirements for your ‘ticket to ride’, in order to better enforce safety regulations.

Jeff Kroll is motivated by something far more personal. “In my years as a Personal Injury attorney, I have seen the worst of injuries and death on our roadways. As a father of two children, this information keeps me awake at night. If I can help mitigate this for my family and others, I plan on doing so.”

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Kaveny + Kroll Trial Lawyers (www.kavenykroll.com) is a leading boutique medical malpractice and personal injury law firm in Chicago. They were established in 2019 by award-winning attorneys Elizabeth A. Kaveny and Jeffrey J. Kroll.  The firm is driven by a commitment to justice and the need to fight for victim’s rights and financial recovery. At Kaveny + Kroll, we believe a valued law firm should take your case personally … because it is.