Pa. lawmaker proposes scooter safety bill 'Abby's Law' after 12-year-old girl's death
RIDLEY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WPVI) -- A Pennsylvania lawmaker introduced a new bill this week regulating electric scooters.
State Senator Tim Kearney, who represents Delaware County, sent a memo out for "Abby's Law," named after a 12-year-old Ridley Township girl who died in an electric scooter accident last month.
The new law would add electric scooters to the state's vehicle code, add safety measures around them, and allow for education about the devices.
MORE | 12-year-old girl dies from injuries in scooter accident; best friend critically hurt
"We need to remind parents that these devices are dangerous," said Ridley Township Police Captain James Dougherty. "It's been a big, big problem. Our commissioners are asking what we can do about it."
The concern comes after a deadly accident in Aston last month. Abby Gillon and her best friend, 11-year-old Bella Jones, were riding a scooter together on a busy road when they fell and were hit by a car.
Abby died, and Bella was seriously hurt.
After the accident, officials across the state realized these scooters do not exist in the vehicle code.
"There's an area here where it's not covered. E-scooters are not covered in there," said Dougherty.
That's why this week, Kearney introduced Abby's Law, which would first add electric scooters to the state's vehicle code.
"The second thing it would do would put sort of common-sense safety measures about it. Age limits, helmet requirements," said Kearney, who added he's been working closely with Abby's family on the details.
He says he hopes the law will pass quickly for the safety of the community.
"You're really out there when you're on these things. It's just a little piece of metal," he said. "It does take some tragedy sometimes for people in Harrisburg to start paying attention and really move bills."
Ridley Township does have an ordinance, last amended in 2003, that bans electric scooters on streets and sidewalks. It gives police power to confiscate them and fine the riders up to $1,000.
Police say they are working on educating the community about the ordinance.
