A Tampa man is warning scooter riders about the dangers after he was severely injured in an accident that left him scared for life.
“I wouldn’t want this to happen to anyone else, let alone a child,” said Dane Williams.
He is at home recovering after he fell off a scooter earlier this month.
Williams was riding in downtown Tampa near Embassy Suites.
“My foot had touched the ground at 20 miles per hour and twisted and this had broke both legs, I mean both bones in my leg,” said Williams. “My tibia and my fibula in half and it threw me into the street.”
He spent three days at Tampa General Hospital.
Doctors put a metal rod in his leg.
After receiving his medical bill, it was a wake up call to warn others.
“Seeing almost a $100,000 bill from breaking my leg, is really surreal,” he said.
The city encourages riders to follow state law to wear a helmet, but not everyone is doing it.
“Because helmets are not issued as part of the scooter rental, we have seen cases where an adult is renting a scooter and then allowing a child or younger person to ride it,” said Jean Duncan, Ciry of Tampa Transportation and Stormwater Services Director.
Officials tell 8 On Your Side safety is a concern and they plan to review the scooter pilot program with vendors after the year.
“We’re going to be looking to see how we can improve our infrastructure our transportation network with our sidewalk and bicycle lanes and also driver behaviors so that from all sides we’re creating the safest environment as possible,” said Duncan.
Williams said it will take about a year before his leg is healed.
Source link