Woman riding scooter in Midtown struck by car, dies from injuries
ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - The third individual to die in a scooter-related accident had been riding the two-wheeler all day.
The victim identified by Atlanta police as Amber Ford, a native of Opelika, Alabama.
Her mother-in-law, Terri Ford, said her son Justin and Amber decided to go to Atlanta for entertainment and relaxation.
Following a show and dining, the last stop for the couple was their hotel.
In Midtown, both were on scooters. Police said a vehicle struck Amber and kept going. The impact was severe enough to toss the 34-year-old woman into the air.
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She had been under the care of Grady Memorial Hospital doctors since last Saturday but succumbed to those injuries on Thursday.
The mother-in-law said if they had known about the dangers of the popular rides, she believes the couple would have chosen another option.
The Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore released a statement expressing condolences to the family. She encouraged scooter enthusiasts to refrain from riding at night.
Her full statement reads:
"The City of Atlanta has recently experienced its third electric scooter-related death. My condolences are extended to the family of Amber Ford, who was killed last Saturday in a hit-and-run incident while riding an e-scooter, according to media reports. Let us also remember the families of William Alexander and Eric Amis Jr., who also lost their lives in scooter-related incidents.
Our condolences are always genuine, but they are not a sufficient response to this growing issue of public safety. It is time for all stakeholders to display a level of responsibility commensurate to our awareness. I encourage citizens to continue making safety a top priority as you choose transportation modes. Please consider limiting your use of e-scooters at night, and if possible, consider limiting their use entirely as we work through the city's infrastructure challenges. If scooters are your preferred method of mobility, please observe the established guidelines for operating them (http://www.atlantapd.org/community/e-scooters-safety).
As president of the Atlanta City Council, I encourage all council members to fully exhaust your legislative authority relative to this matter. The current administration has taken steps to halt the issuance of new e-scooter permits and we expect to review legislation regarding it as early as this Monday, August 5, 2019. Please continue to consider the current state of urban infrastructure throughout the city and the value of a human life as this matter is deliberated upon. The solution must be one that takes the long view – mitigating immediate dangers and establishing realistic plans for accommodating not only e-scooters, but other emerging and innovative transportation modes.
This matter is complex, requiring an approach that is data-driven and inclusive of multiple stakeholder perspectives. Let us all resolve to face the issue head-on and create solutions that preserve both public safety and innovation for everyone."