BOLZANO. The motorist driving the Fiat 500 and the young man on board the electric scooter were both traveling along via Buozzi, yesterday shortly after midday. She – a 52-year-old from South Tyrol – was along the normal roadway; the 33-year-old of Egyptian origins was on the cycle path that would shortly take him to his workplace (the McDonald’s in the industrial area). At the crossroads the driver puts on the indicator and turns towards via Toni Ebner. Just at that moment, however, at the pedestrian crossing, the man crosses the road and is hit from the side by the car.
A very violent impact, which made him fly two meters and land on the asphalt. The woman – in shock – gets in and out of the car. Several times. Then he picks up the phone and activates the emergency services. As luck would have it, two police officers were passing by at that very moment and monitored the man’s pulse before the arrival of the White Cross and the Municipal Police. The victim lost consciousness and a lot of blood: his head injuries were very serious due to the lack of a helmet. He was treated on site by a 118 nurse and was then urgently transported to the “San Maurizio” hospital. The investigations were carried out by the police who seized the scooter, removed the 33-year-old’s gloves, mobile phone and wallet which had fallen onto the street after the collision.
In the meantime, the woman tried to provide her version of events to the police, asking several times for reassurance on the young man’s condition. The Municipal Police Command – in particular the Accident Office – immediately acquired information on the accident by extrapolating the images collected from the videos. Right at that intersection there is one of the more than 200 cameras of the Municipality which allowed us to reconstruct the exact dynamics. What immediately caught the eye was that the young man on board the scooter was not wearing a helmet. Since the entry into force of the new Highway Code (14 December) it has been mandatory for everyone. Anyone who doesn’t wear it risks a 250 euro fine.
The Municipality has already fined several of them, almost all young people, some minors: there is an average of more than one fine per day also for speeding (the limit is 20 kilometers per hour) and transit on the pavement. «They are among the most dangerous means of transport because they are unstable and in potential conflict with pedestrians, bicycles and cars», reiterates councilor Stefano Fattor. The requirements for riding the scooter have been updated. To avoid fines (which can reach up to 800 euros) it is necessary to have an electric motor not exceeding 500 W, working horn and indicators, front and rear lights, double braking system on both wheels, speed regulator. The minimum age to board is 14 years. Where can scooters travel? Only on urban roads with a speed limit of 50 kilometers per hour. The law says that they cannot ride on pedestrian areas and cycle paths unless they exceed 6 kilometers per hour. License plates and insurance will become mandatory: the Ministry has not given the go-ahead.