New video shows the moments before a 10-year-old was seriously hurt on an electric scooter as Harris County officials warn parents.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — New video released by the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office shows the moments leading up to a crash that seriously injured a 10-year-old girl who was riding an electric scooter in northwest Harris County, according to Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman’s Office.
The crash happened at the intersection of Lincolns Meadow Drive and Dukes Run Drive.
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In the six-second video, a red van can be seen traveling down the neighborhood street as the girl approaches the intersection on her electric scooter. The video shows the girl riding through the stop sign before the crash.
A preliminary investigation indicates the girl entered the intersection without stopping at a stop sign and was hit by a vehicle, deputies said.
The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
Deputies applied a tourniquet because of the girl’s injuries and significant bleeding before she was taken to a hospital in The Woodlands area. She was transferred to a hospital in downtown Houston Wednesday morning because of the extent of her injuries.
Law enforcement officials say crashes like this are a part of a larger problem as traffic experts are pushing parents to think twice before putting devices like e-scooters and e-bikes in the hands of young children.
“These e-bikes do go faster, and you want to also talk with your kids about the dangers of using those e-bikes,” said Doug Shupe with AAA Texas. “If you’re going too fast, if you are forcing around on them, because that could lead to even more serious injuries than your traditional bike crash. And that’s what we’re hearing also, is hospitals are seeing more e-bike crashes, injuries.”
The constable warned that the concern goes beyond whether a child understands the rules of the road. Officials are also concerned about the speeds electric bikes and scooters can reach and whether young riders have the experience and reaction time to handle those speeds around traffic.
“It’s very dangerous. Parents shouldn’t be buying them for their kids, so they’re not legal in any roads, sidewalks or trails. They’re only legal on your own private property or your deer lease or private places like that,” the constable said.
Several local law enforcement officers say they’re pushing to keep these electric rides away from school routes, where young riders are mixing with cars, pedestrians and other traffic.
“So we really wanted them off the routes to school. And we’re very fortunate that Katy ISD and Lamar listened to us and banned them from their campuses,” the constable said.
Both Katy and Lamar ISDs have banned the use of e-bikes and scooters on campus.
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