University students around Florida zip through campuses on electric bikes, scooters and skateboards. But with their increased popularity, there’s also been a spike in accidents.
In February last year, Connor Lynch, a 19-year-old University of South Florida student, died while scootering. Lynch had left his house keys in a friend’s car and was scootering to pick them up. Instead, a car turned in front of him and killed him, officials said.
USF Police Chief Chris Daniel said since 2023 campus police on the Tampa campus have responded to at least 23 incidents involving electric rides.
To raise awareness about the dangers of micromobility, AAA and local law enforcement held a joint press conference at USF on Thursday. Next to the podium was a table where bright yellow vests and helmets surrounded a photo of Lynch.
“ The average bicyclist goes about 15 to 20 mph,” AAA spokesperson Mike Jenkins said. “Electric devices like these can go 20, 30, 40, sometimes 60 mph or more. And we’re talking about vulnerable road users here.”
Micromobility riders are more exposed to possible injury due to the lack of protection on scooters, skateboards and bikes. Riders also often don’t have proper gear.
“Not everybody’s wearing the right helmet,” said Dr. Jose Diaz, trauma medical director at Tampa General Hospital. “So if you’re going 50 miles an hour on an e-bike and you’re wearing a bicycle helmet and fall and hit your head, it is possible you may have an injury that is worse off because you’re not wearing the right helmet.”
Still, only 10 to 20 percent of injury cases require hospitalization, and patients tend to be in their 30s, according to Diaz.
The recent popularity of these vehicles also means that the road rules are unclear and vary from city to city, according to a Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson.
Lynch’s mother, Michelle, hopes authorities can regulate the micromobility vehicles on the roads as they do golf carts.
“If they are capable of going over a certain speed, they have to follow all of the same laws and regulations that any other motor vehicle has to follow,” she said.
Since her son's death, Lynch has founded a nonprofit called the Connor Lynch Legacy Fund, which aims to raise awareness for micromobility safety and offer assistance to people who have been injured as a result of a scooter or bike crash.
There have been 40 E-scooter incidents on USF's Tampa campus since 2021. In 2023, there were only three registered incidents. In 2024 and 2025, 14 and 15 incidents were registered, according to USF police.
There's only been one E-bike incident since 2021.
