AAA launches ‘Safe Streets for Small Wheels’ at USF alongside mom of student killed in e-scooter crash

TAMPA, Fla. - Almost anyone can get on an e-scooter or e-bike, but some people said that's part of the danger with these motorized rides.

AAA launched its new statewide safety initiative, "Safe Streets for Small Wheels," on Thursday at USF in Tampa.

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The backstory:

Since the pandemic, doctors in Tampa said e-scooters and e-bikes have risen in popularity, along with the number of injuries from related accidents.

"The average age for a bicycle accident is in the young group," Dr. Jose Diaz, the chief of the Trauma program at Tampa General Hospital and USF Health, said. "So, in the 20s and below 30 years old. As far as regular scooters, really, 11 is really the average age for a regular scooter. When you begin to look at motorized scooters, the age actually jumps up. The age of an e-scooter injury is in the 20s to 30s, and the average for the e-bikes are actually between 30 and 40 years old."

Diaz said head injuries are some of the most common types of injuries from e-scooters and e-bikes.

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E-scooters and e-bikes can travel as quickly as cars on the road in some circumstances.

"The average bicyclist goes about 15-20 miles per hour," AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said. "Electric devices like these can go 20, 30, 40, sometimes 60 miles per hour or more."

USF police said from 2023 to 2025, they responded to 29 e-scooter-related accidents.

"We had scooters that hit posts and everything else, because they're going so fast, and they try to avoid a pedestrian, and they run off the sidewalk," USF Police Chief Chris Daniel said.

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Local perspective:

Connor Lynch was a sophomore at USF last year. He was three weeks away from celebrating his 20th birthday when he was hit and killed while riding his e-scooter.

"Connor lived off campus on 42nd Street," his mom, Michelle Lynch said. "He had left his keys in a friend's car. He hopped on his e-scooter. What should have been a quick trip ended up not being so. I think his last words were, 'I'll be right back.'"

Michelle said a car was turning left and hit and killed Connor.

"I checked his Life 360 before going to bed to see if he was at the library, at his apartment, or perhaps out with friend," Lynch said. "But on that tragic night, I saw he was at Tampa General Hospital. My heart sank."

She said, unfortunately, a helmet wouldn't have saved Connor's life in this instance, because he had major chest trauma and internal bleeding.

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Why you should care:

Michelle and doctors stressed the importance of wearing a helmet. Doctors recommend wearing a more protective helmet than a traditional bicycle helmet, because of the higher speed of e-scooters.

"If you can just take that extra five seconds, I promise you, you may save a life," she said. "As parents, we want to give our kids freedom. We want to give them independence. We want them to have a good time. And it feels like e-scooters can check a lot of those boxes. But, what I wish I had known, and what I would like every parent to hear, is that these e-scooters, they are not toys."

Michelle has now dedicated her life to raising awareness about the safety risks involving e-scooters and e-bikes to help prevent this tragedy from happening to another family.

"Connor was full of life and full of promise," she said. "He was a sophomore here at USF. He had just declared himself an entrepreneurial business major, because all he ever wanted to do was run a business."

What's next:

The rules on the road for e-scooters and e-bikes can be unclear.

"Right now, there are no national standards on e-wheel speed limits, safety equipment or helmet use, or even rider age," Jenkins said. "It's up to local municipalities to set these rules, including where e-bikes and e-scooters should drive."

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The Florida Highway Patrol said rules can vary by city.

"I would love to see, if a scooter is capable of going over a certain speed, it should be a registered vehicle," Michelle said. "It should have all of the same requirements that a motorcycle, and now golf carts have, as well."

She hopes to create change and guidance on the road through legislation in her son's memory. Since Connor's death, Michelle started the Connor Lynch Legacy Fund to improve education and legislation around e-scooter and e-bike safety.

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