A 25-year-old man has died in the US after crashing his Lime scooter into a tree. The accident happened in St Louis on Saturday (local time).
The rider was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
- More e-scooters to hit the streets of Auckland
- Auckland council to seek advice on Lime Scooter safety
- The lowdown on where Lime e-scooters can be used and how to stay safe
First responders said he was in cardiac arrest when they arrived, and may have suffered a medical emergency that caused him to crash.
St Louis Fire Department Captain Leon Whitener said officials were working to determine if the man's crash was due to a cardiac arrest - or if the crash caused it.
The scooters have been blamed for multiple accidents in New Zealand, and have faced a backlash from pedestrians and council concerned about the dangers of their high speeds.
In Auckland, 27 ACC claims were made over the first two weeks, and 11 in Christchurch.
ACC says the injuries range from lacerations to fracture and concussion - the latter considered a Traumatic Brain Injury by the Ministry of Health.
Dr Andrea Shepperson is clinical director at Lumino, and said use of electric scooters on footpaths is "fraught with potential for injury".
She said one patient was seen by doctors for a concussion before being referred to her for further treatment for her front teeth.
Dr Shepperson said the patient "hit the pavement with her face" after swerving to avoid an elderly couple.
"Her front tooth was knocked into her gum," she said. "We did some repositioning of the tooth, but couldn't get it back into its proper position.
"Concussion is a serious medical injury, and dental injuries can be life-long. They can be permanent."
Newshub.
