Police in Port Wentworth, Bluffton urge scooter and bike safety before trick-or-treating

PORT WENTWORTH, Ga. (WTOC) - Police in Port Wentworth and Bluffton are asking families to talk about scooter and bike safety before trick-or-treaters fill neighborhoods.

A 16-year-old boy was hit by a car while trying to cross the road on an electric scooter, according to the Georgia State Patrol on Monday.

“It’s just a numbers game. You just see them, they’re just so much more prevalent, and it’s just going to mean more traffic accidents,” said Sgt. Robert Rodriguez of the Port Wentworth Police Department. “Just like your parents always say, look both ways before ever entering a street.”

Chief Joe Babkiewicz with the Bluffton Police Department said, “We know that just one tragic incident can turn a lot of fun into a tragic day.”

Safety guidance for families

Police said parents should sit down with their children before they ride and go over the rules of the road. Children need reflective gear, proper lights, and a helmet, police said. They must stop at stop signs.

“These kids are just out on their own, and they’re moving faster, but they’re still kids, and it presents a danger,” said Rodriguez.

Local law enforcement can answer questions about the laws of the road. In Port Wentworth, riders must be at least 15 to ride a bike that reaches 28 mph.

Babkiewicz said they’ve been working with school resources officers.

“Really just educating our kids that if they’re going to be on e-bikes, if they’re going to be on regular bicycles, know what these signs mean and how they have to abide by these signs,” he said.

National research

A Johns Hopkins Children’s Center study found children make up more than 45% of e-scooter injuries, including head injuries.

More than 2,100 children went to the emergency room for e-scooter injuries between 2020 and 2024. Nearly 7 in 10 were boys, and 4 in 10 were 11 to 14 years old.

Nationwide, the Consumer Product Safety Commission counted 380,000 e-scooter injuries between 2017 and 2024.

Dr. Mary Beth Howard, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at the Children’s Center, said local speed limits and state legislation specifically for e-scooters could lead to significant injury reduction.

She also said males are consistently at higher risk of minor and major injuries.

“This likely reflects a mix of behavioral and social factors, including greater risk-taking and lower use of protective equipment like helmets,” she said.