THE DANGERS OF E-SCOOTERS
You must be 18 years old and have a driver’s license to operate an e-scooter. The fine print also says that the e-scooter must be driven on the road, and the rider should wear a helmet. These companies provide little to no training on how to operate an e-scooter safely. While e-scooters are convenient, they’re also dangerous for riders. Consumer Reports discovered that eight people died and 1,500 people sustained injuries while using an e-scooter since fall 2017. During the first Chicago pilot program in 2019, roughly 200 people were injured, as well. On average, about 20 people are injured per 100,000 scooter trips taken, according to the Public Health and Transportation departments in Austin, Texas, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Factoring in that most e-scooter trips are of a very short duration, that’s a pretty high number. Almost half were severe injuries, such as head injuries, bone fractures and other serious and permanent injuries.
Have you been on a college campus lately? If so, you’ve no doubt encountered the latest craze in campus life: electric scooters, or e-scooters. E-scooters are small, stand-up scooters powered by an electric motor, and they’re probably coming to a town or city near you. In 2018, e-scooter rental companies like Lime and Bird had a total of 85,000 e-scooters for rent according to the National Association of City Transportation Officials. This is more than the number of bikes rented. In January, Chicago also greenlit a second pilot program for e-scooters that’s due to start in the spring. E-scooter companies like Lime and Bird have developed apps that allow users to rent with ease. A rider finds a scooter, opens the app on their phone, scans the code to unlock the scooter, and rides it. When done, they can simply leave the scooter wherever they like. The app also tells users where to find the nearest scooter when they want to ride, and the process repeats.
If you or someone you know was seriously injured while riding an e-scooter, we would be happy to meet with you to discuss legal options. You can call us anytime at 312-578-9501 or fill out a contact form at ShannonLawGroup.com.
– Jack Cannon
MARCH 2020 DATES OF CONSEQUENCE
EASY IRISH SODA BREAD • 1/2 cup margarine • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, divided • 1 egg • 1/4 cup butter, melted Inspired by AllRecipes.com
Ingredients • 4 cups all-purpose flour • 4 tbsp white sugar • 1 tsp baking soda • 1 tbsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp salt
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Directions 1. Heat oven to 375 F, and lightly grease a large baking sheet. 2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and margarine. 3. Stir in 1 cup buttermilk and egg, and mix until dough comes together. 4. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface. Form dough into a round before placing it on baking sheet. 5. In a small bowl, combine melted butter and remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk. 6. Brush the raw loaf with this mixture and cut an “X” into the top. 7. Bake loaf for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean after being inserted into center of loaf. You may need to continue brushing the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.
Every Saturday morning throughout the year, St. Joan of Arc Men’s Group meets from 7–8 a.m. in the St. Joan of Arc Parish Center. Please join us.
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