On the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, a terrible accident occurred in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. A 24-year-old woman, identified as Molly Pearson, was riding a Lime scooter on Meeker Avenue next to a box truck. Pearson and the box truck were both traveling in the same direction. When the box truck driver began to make a right-hand turn onto Skillman Avenue, he struck Pearson on the scooter, running her over, according to the police.
Pearson was critically injured, suffering traumatic injuries to her lower body. She was immediately taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment, but tragically, she succumbed to her injuries a few days later. The truck driver, 33, remained on the scene. No charges have been filed yet.
Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Ms. Pearson’s family and loved ones during this time.
Although it is unclear exactly what caused the accident, when taking a closer look, there are some risk factors at play.
First, Lime scooters are a type of electric scooter that, although popular, have been shown to have safety risks in the past. This past spring, Lime partnered with the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) to first launch a pilot fleet of electric mopeds, and then electric scooters. The electric mopeds operate in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, while the electric scooters are only currently available in the East Bronx. The scooter being used in the above accident appears to be one of Lime’s electric mopeds.
Although Lime lists the various safety precautions and procedures they have in place to ensure using their scooters is a safe experience, riding them does not come without risk. Lime scooters (and other similar brands) were first introduced in 2017, and by 2020, a mass tort lawsuit was filed against Lime (and another e-scooter company, Bird), with approximately 90 plaintiffs claiming that they were injured because the e-scooter companies did not properly maintain their scooters. Some of these safety issues included “malfunctioning brakes, sudden accelerations, and faulty throttles, handlebars and wheels.” If someone is hurt because a product malfunctions or is defective, the manufacturer could be found at fault for negligence.
Even without these scooter safety issues, which would be a defective product issue on the part of the manufacturer, there is the risk of negligence on the part of others on the road. All drivers have a responsibility to consider the safety of others on the road, whether it is pedestrians, cyclists, or other drivers, and to operate their vehicle in a manner that does not harm others. Truck drivers have added responsibilities to ensure safe driving, as mandated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. For example, truck drivers must hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL), which requires more training than a normal driver’s license, and they must not drive more hours than the number listed in federal hours of service regulations. Violating any of these regulations could be considered negligent if a truck driver was to get involved in an accident.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck, scooter, or auto accident as a result of another party’s negligence, you may be legally entitled to compensation. Call 212-736-5300 or fill out our Contact Form to speak to an expert personal injury attorney today.