Nashville Bans Electric Scooters After Man Gets Killed

Electric scooter services are popping up in major cities across the globe and Nashville has been one of them. However, the city has now decided to ban them after a man was killed. Nashville mayor David Briley has notified the seven electric scooter companies that are operating in the city that he’s ending the pilot project and banning the scooter from the city’s streets.

26-year-old Brady Gaulke was killed when he was struck by an SUV as he was riding a scooter last month. An investigation into the incident had revealed that Gaulke had twice the legal limit of alcohol in his system and was responsible for the crash. Witnesses had watched him improperly turn left into the roadway from the sidewalk and into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

The mayor had previously written a letter to these companies raising concerns about improper riding, parking violations, and poor rider education. He had solicited proposals from them for amendments to the scooter regulations to address these concerns within a month.

While he has heard back from the scooter companies, the may believe that the proposed amendments do not go far enough to “protect the safety of our residents and visitors.” He has now recommended to the Metro Council to terminate the existing electric scooter pilot program and remove them from service.

“If these devices return in the future, it will be after a public process, on our terms, with strict oversight for numbers, safety, and accessibility,” Briley said.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: General