BLOOMINGTON — The City of Bloomington will limit the hours during which people can use electric scooters following the recent death of an Indiana University student who was struck while riding one.
Starting 11 p.m. Thursday, the scooters will only be accessible between the hours of 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day through the winter months. Those hours may be adjusted, depending on the outcome, according to a Tuesday Facebook announcement from the mayor's office.
The post directly references Nathaniel Stratton, a 20-year-old IU junior who died after being hit by a suspected drunken driver Sept. 18 near the intersection of North Walnut Street and East 12th Street.
Stratton was taken to a local hospital after the crash but died from his injuries. The driver, 22-year-old Madelyn Howard of Crown Point, was later arrested in connection with his death.
Howard is charged with leaving the scene of an accident, causing death while operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and reckless homicide. As of Tuesday, she was scheduled to appear for a jury trial March 27, 2023 at Monroe Circuit Court.
A crash report police says Howard was driving anywhere from 50-70 miles per hour when she hit Stratton. The report says witnesses in the area saw her swerve into the bike lane and hit him. She was also driving on the sidewalk.
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Those who want to ride an electric scooter must abide by the following rules, according to the city's announcement:
- You must be 18 to ride.
- Protect your head by wearing a helmet.
- Yield to pedestrians.
- Never ride under the influence of alcohol or other substances.
- Use caution and follow local safety and traffic laws–follow all traffic rules including street signs, traffic lights, and stop signs.
- Travel in bike lanes or roads unless otherwise directed.
- Ride only 1 person per scooter at a time.
- Do not text and ride.
- Be mindful of potentially dangerous surface conditions (uneven surfaces, wet or slippery conditions, debris, grass clippings).
- Don’t block sidewalks, curb cuts, access ramps, doors, bus stops, or traffic at any time.
- Parking a scooter on a sidewalk will limit accessibility, so look for off-sidewalk parking.
- When parking, keep the scooter or bike upright and avoid uneven surfaces like gravel or steep inclines.
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