AUSTIN, Texas — It's been more than five years since scooters were introduced in Austin, and paramedics say scooter-related injuries have remained consistent.
City of Austin leaders heard an update Wednesday from Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS).
The agency said it has seen the most injuries around Sixth and Rainey streets. No data is available for the University of Texas at Austin campus or the Texas State Capitol complex because scooters aren't allowed in those areas.
ATCEMS medics say they've seen around eight injuries per month since May of last year, and they attribute most of them to how fast the riders are going and how few people wear helmets.
"It seems, out of 115 patients, the fact that 89 of them are transported to a hospital seems a little high to me," ATCEMS Division Chief Kevin Parker said.
ATCEMS said the majority of injuries happen on Saturday nights.