ATLANTA — A 20-year-old man on an electric scooter was hit and killed leaving a southwest Atlanta MARTA station early Friday morning.
It's the first deadly accident involving an electric scooter on the streets of Atlanta.
Atlanta police tell Channel 2 Action News the man was coming out of the parking lot of the West Lake station riding a Lime scooter when he was hit by a red Cadillac.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim as 20-year-old Eric Amis. Jr.
The accident happened on West Lake Avenue in front of the parking lot entrance to the MARTA station around midnight.
Channel 2's Tom Regan was at the scene, where he saw yellow spray paint indicating the exact location of the collision.
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Regan talked to Jarius Daughterty with the Atlanta police the driver, though it is unclear if she will face charges.
"'The driver of the SUV did stay on the scene and she advised the officers that he pulled out really quickly and she wasn't able to react to him pulling out into the roadway," Daughterty said.
Amis' death comes as scooter injuries are soaring as the scooters take over the streets of Atlanta.
Riders aren't allowed on sidewalks. They must ride on the street or in bike lanes -- but they aren't required to wear helmets.
Regan talked to other scooter riders about the tragedy. Some said it was only a matter of time before someone was killed riding the popular e-scooters.
"I'm surprised, honestly, that it hasn't happened sooner," one rider said.
Nina Shaw said she often sees riders not being very safe.
"Down my street, people will just ride them recklessly, weaving in and out of traffic," Shaw said.
That recklessness has triggered a spike in the number of injuries to riders and pedestrians. Grady Hospital is now treating 80 to 100 scooter injuries a month. Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center is also seeing patients, some with serious injuries.
'Starting with abrasion falls, cuts, to more serious injuries to abdominal injuries also head injuries and concussions," Dr. Sulieman Waz said.
The Atlanta Police Department said they will soon roll out a public information campaign on scooter safety and will be writing more tickets on riders who break the law.
Cox Media Group
