Daniel Learns About Insurance: The Birds! Electric Scooters (and Claims?) Descend Upon Tennessee Insurors Director of Communications Daniel Smith is far from an insurance expert, but he is trying to learn! In this series he will look into insurance industry and coverage questions he has about popular trends in day-to-day life. In the 1963 classic Hitchcock movie The Birds, a wealthy California socialite gets caught up in an attack from hundreds of birds and must try to survive their vicious and out-of-theblue attacks. Cut to May 2018, when out-of-the-blue, electric scooters from California began popping up on the streets of Nashville. These scooters, ridiculously called, "shared urban mobility devices," were placed on city sidewalks and available for rent through mobile apps. Within days, they were zipping their way through traffic, cutting off cars and passing pedal taverns with ease. But just a week into their arrival, two young ladies from the Knoxville area were scootering along when a car struck them, knocking them from their Birds and landing them both in the hospital. The driver fled the scene, and a bright spotlight was immediately cast on electric scooters. After some contentious discussion between Bird and Metro
written by Daniel Smith, CAE
Nashville, many of the scooters were confiscated. Others were moved down interstate 40 to Memphis. Memphis took a more proactive approach, laying down some ground rules and regulations for the scooter launch. The scooters became a big hit in Memphis, and one ER doctor claims that the result has been an increase in ER visits. Methodist University Hospital Medical Director in Emergency Department Dr. Jeff Harris told WMC5 News that, "I've seen several injuries from the scooters. There's all ranges. A lot [of the injuries] are just cuts and bruises from falling. Most significantly head injuries from people not wearing a helmet."1
A Return to Nashville Streets In late August, Nashville's Metro Council voted 29-1 to allow the electric scooters to return to the city's streets. The only caveat being that new regulations would be in place for any company wanting to deploy "electronic or motorized scooters and bicycles." To that end, a permitting process has now been established for these companies. The regulations also include several aimed at safety, including strongly encouraging helmet use for the scooters, and
Is anywhere safe when the Birds attack?!?!
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