Second e-scooter death being investigated in Salt Lake City
Apr 22, 2024, 4:56 PM | Updated: Apr 23, 2024, 12:56 pm
FILE: Two electronic scooters sit parked on Main Street and 200 South in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. A second person has died as the result of an accident on an e-scooter in Utah's capital city. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — For the second time in a month, someone has died while using a rented e-scooter in Salt Lake City.
Police said 41-year-old Ismael Ontivaros was hit Sunday night at 800 West North Temple.
Related: Salt Lake City Council looks to regulate scooters and GREENBikes
He was on a rented electric scooter, and died at the scene.
The 22-year-old driver stayed on the scene. But police are investigating whether impairment may have been a factor in the crash.
“No arrests or citations have been issued or made,” said Sgt. Mark Wian. “But again, detectives with the collision analysis team are still conducting that investigative work.”
Sgt. Wian said they do see an increase in people using e-scooters as temperatures warm up. He warns drivers to be on the lookout.
Mother of five dies in similar accident
On March 21, a 33-year-old woman was riding an e-scooter in downtown Salt Lake when she crashed on a sidewalk. She was riding along with friends on West Temple between 400 South and 500 South when she hit a bump in the sidewalk.
She hit her head and later died.
Related: Teenage girl suffers serious injuries after being struck by vehicle
On March 24, KSL TV reported that the Salt Lake City Mayor’s office was reviewing the circumstances that led to that fatal accident.
How safe are e-scooters?
Injuries from e-scooters rise, year after year, according to data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Using data from hospitals around the country, the commission found that between 2021 and 2022, injuries increased by 22%. Between 2017 and 2022, 111 people died in e-scooter-related accidents.
Wian said e-scooter riders should be wearing helmets and following the same rules of the road as cyclists.
In downtown Salt Lake City, e-scooter riders are prohibited from riding on sidewalks. This is a measure the city says is designed to keep both riders and pedestrians safe.
Safety experts say e-scooter accidents are most prevalent between May and October.
“If you’re on foot, riding a bike or on a scooter, make sure you’re wearing reflective clothing so that you can be seen,” Wian said. “Wear protective gear if you need to. And then make sure that you’re being alert to your surroundings.”
