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Scooting at edge of law

As mobility scooters become common, lawmakers worry about more fatal accidents.

By CRISTINA SILVA and DEMORRIS A. LEE, Times Staff Writers
Published December 15, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Jim Damaske | Times] Jack Schaffer, 84, was killed Wednesday when his motorized scooter was struck by a pickup truck while trying to cross Missouri Avenue in Largo. At least six people on scooters have been killed in the Tampa Bay area over the past two years.

Jack Schaffer's mobility scooter was no match for the approaching pickup truck.

The impact knocked the 84-year-old's body off the scooter's seat. His black ball cap and both of his brown bedroom slippers were sent flying across Missouri Avenue in Largo.

His death Wednesday highlights the growing challenge lawmakers and law enforcement officials face over what, if anything, to do about mobility scooters, motorized wheelchairs commonly used by the disabled and elderly.

At least six people on scooters have been killed in the Tampa Bay area over the past two years. And with the first crop of baby boomers settling into retirement, the next decade likely will bring a new brigade of scooter riders darting in and out of traffic and buzzing down sidewalks.

"It is definitely something we need to monitor," said Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis, chairman of the state Senate's Transportation Committee. "We are sort of in a bad position. You don't want a mobility scooter just driving down the highway, but at the same time we want to allow people with disabilities the ability to work and shop and enjoy all the little things that you and I take for granted."

Wednesday's accident occurred when Schaffer tried to cross the six lanes of Missouri Avenue on his scooter. Police said the Clearwater man was not in a crosswalk. The accident is still under investigation.

Unlike recreational scooters, which garnered national attention after thousands of children nationwide were injured in scooter-related accidents, mobility scooters are new territory for legislators.

While the electric powered vehicles have been overwhelmingly embraced by the infirm in recent years, the slow, squat devices are a transportation director's worst nightmare.

"Obviously we didn't see this 10 years ago because there wasn't such a thing as a mobility scooter 10 years ago," said Baker. "So we are going to see more accidents because now they are much more prevalent. The question would be, if these people weren't on a motorized scooter, would they have been struck just walking on the street?"

Mobility scooters sometimes called electric scooters or motorized scooters to distinguish them from the power scooters popular among teenagers look like desk chairs on big wheels. Each has a seat at the rear of a wheeled platform, with controls and sometimes hand rests. The primary funding sources for scooters are private medical insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Federal officials do not keep up-to-date records on scooter related injuries, but say they expect the number of such accidents to continue to rise.

"Power scooter injuries continue to outrank injuries associated with the motorized scooters," said Scott Wilson, a spokesman for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. "But we are still seeing too many deaths involving motorized scooters."

Under Florida law, only motor vehicles that are registered with the state can be driven on roadways. Scooters are not specifically mentioned, but law enforcement officials say riders are expected to follow the same rules as pedestrians or cyclists.

The problem is that it is more difficult for a motorist to see a person in a mobility scooter because of that person's lower profile.

"I am not sure what the solution is," said Jim Bordner, a spokesman for the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. "In a lot of these cases, we see someone that is not crossing at the crosswalk. People are crossing midblock where they really have to use caution."

Bordner said the Sheriff's Office has launched a general education campaign to remind people of basic traffic rules: use the crosswalk, look both ways before crossing the street, be careful in poorly lit areas.

At the end of the day, it is up to pedestrians, including scooters riders, to follow safety rules, said Kris Carson, a spokeswoman for the state Transportation Department in Tampa.

"We build the roads, we build the crosswalks, but we can't make people use the crosswalks," she said.

Motorists also "need to be aware that these little vehicles can't go as fast as a person running across the street," said Trooper Larry Coggins, a spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol.

Other states have responded to the growing popularity of scooters by passing strict legislation. In Maine, California and New York, scooter drivers are subject to arrest if they drive on the roadway without a driver's license or the correct equipment.

But scooter riders counter that it is impossible to use a scooter without entering the roadway. Not only do riders often need to cross the street, but the absence of flat sidewalks in some areas can force them into traffic.

"Some of these sidewalks are a mess, they are so bumpy," said James McMiller, 76, of St. Petersburg, who uses his scooter to travel to the supermarket or drug store.

Riding a scooter "can be dangerous," said McMiller, who has owned a scooter for five years. "You can't just cross the street when you have the right of way. You have to wait a while and really make sure no cars are coming."

Gene Garda, 83, uses the same type of scooter Schaffer was riding when he was killed.

"When I saw the photograph, I was looking in the mirror," the World War II veteran from Palm Harbor said of the accident picture published in the St. Petersburg Times this week.

Garda said he rides his scooter on the sidewalk and only crosses streets at crosswalks.

"I can't drive anymore, and it has given me a source of independence," he said. "I can get to the store and grocery shopping, and I don't have to depend on anybody."

County officials say they are aware pedestrians are at risk in areas where there are no sidewalks. The county plans to spend nearly $3-million on sidewalk repairs in 2008. Last year, they spent about $1.6-million.

"We try to connect the dots," said Rob Meador, a division manager for county transportation planning. "Our board of county commissioners has recognized the need to do more sidewalk improvements to fill gaps and make replacements of existing sidewalks."

Times staffers Angie Drobnic Holan and Jose Cardenas contributed to this report. Cristina Silva can be reached at (727) 893-8846 or csilva@sptimes Demorris A. Lee can be reached dalee@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4174.

FAST FACTS

Mobility scooters

-Depending on the model, top scooter speeds range from 4 mph to 10 mph.

-Prices run from $400 to more than $3,000.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends scooter riders:

-Avoid gravel and uneven pavement, which can cause falls.

-Stay out of traffic.

-Avoid riding at night because riders can't see where they're going or be seen by others.

-Wear sturdy shoes.

[Last modified December 14, 2007, 22:08:28]