A 14-year-old girl was struck by a vehicle while riding an electric scooter Friday, Aug. 21, in the 26200 block of Kuykendahl Road, marking the second time in less than a week that a child on an e-scooter was hit by a car in the Spring area.
The Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office responded to the crash and transported the teenager to a hospital for treatment, according to KPRC. The driver stayed at the scene. The investigation remains ongoing, and the severity of the girl's injuries has not been released.
Three days earlier, on Tuesday, Aug. 18, a 10-year-old girl was seriously injured when she was struck by a vehicle while riding an e-scooter at the intersection of Lincolns Meadow Drive and Dukes Run Drive in Spring. A preliminary investigation found the child entered the intersection without stopping at a stop sign, KHOU reported. Deputies applied a tourniquet to control significant bleeding from a leg injury before she was taken to Memorial Hermann. Her condition had not been released as of Aug. 19.
Both drivers remained at the scene.
Precinct 4 responds with outreach
Following the crashes, Constable Mark Herman's office has begun reaching out to local school districts about safety guidelines for e-scooters and e-bikes, according to a KPRC follow-up report. The office is also working with local legislators on potential regulations, though officials say the process is in its early stages.
Danny Garza, an assistant chief with Precinct 4, told KPRC on Aug. 19 that "the goal is prevention and education." Deputies have been encouraged to talk with young riders they encounter and provide information about safety and applicable laws.
The crashes come as e-vehicle injuries surge across Harris County. Motorized e-vehicle injuries are up 11,000 percent over five years, according to Harris County Public Health statistics cited in an Aug. 12 press release from Harris County ESD 11. Dr. Jay Kovar, the district's medical director, issued a public safety warning as students prepared to return to school.
What parents should know
Under Texas law, no driver's license, registration, or insurance is required to operate an electric scooter. There is no statewide minimum age for riders and no helmet law for adults. E-scooters may only be operated on streets with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or lower.
Melanie Bradshaw, trauma prevention and community outreach coordinator with Memorial Hermann, said hospitals are seeing serious e-scooter and e-bike injuries including broken bones, traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. She recommends parents ensure children wear a properly fitted helmet on every ride, avoid phones and headphones, never carry a second rider, and consider whether their child is mature enough to control the device before allowing them to ride.
Precinct 4 has not announced a timeline for any new regulations or school district partnerships.
