Growing concerns over reckless scooter use in cities south of Houston have prompted officials to update ordinances, launch awareness campaigns and plead with parents to educate young riders.
League City officials say call lines have been flooded with complaints, while Pearland and Friendswood police have contended with scooter-involved collisions and injuries. The uptick in incidents mirrors a trend in scooter and e-bike popularity among young people, according to Chad Rogers, spokesperson for the Pearland Police Department.
“If you’re a parent and you plan to purchase a scooter for your kid, or if your kid has a scooter, you really need to pull them aside and have a conversation about being safe,” Rogers said.
Pearland has seen several instances of scooters and e-bikes riding into crosswalks or streets and colliding with vehicles, according to city attorney Katie Leininger. The city updated its code of ordinances last year to enhance safety surrounding the use of scooters and similar devices.
Scooters cannot be used on a roadway unless the person is crossing the street at a crosswalk, or if there isn’t a sidewalk. When a person crosses the street on a scooter, they must stop completely before crossing and wait until it’s safe to cross.
“Drivers are already distracted; if they’re on the phone or not paying attention and not expecting to see kids, that combination is extremely dangerous on the roads,” Rogers said, particularly at stop signs and intersections.
It’s common to see kids leaving school in scooters during dismissal, and Rogers said authorities are working on educational programs for schools. But because there are no age restrictions on who can drive scooters, police are relying on parents to help ensure their child follows the law and may cite parents whose children do not.
Officials in Pearland and nearby cities have made similar pleas on social media, urging community members to build awareness around safe scooter use. Friendswood, in a recent Facebook post, noted complaints from residents about reckless riding, including two incidents involving scooters that caused serious injuries to children.
League City is also making a social media pitch about scooter safety. This all presents an interesting contrast to Houston’s approach. Which, it must be said, had some initial success, though I’d be very interested to hear about further updates. I don’t have a point to make here, I just saw the story and thought it was worth noting.