The family of a 12-year-old girl from Pennsylvania who died in a tragic electric scooter crash is pushing for a new law to regulate the use of the motorized vehicle.
The victim was identified as Abby Gillon, who was said to have been riding an electric scooter with a friend on June 14 in Aston. However, the two girls then fell and were struck by a passing car, killing Abby and injuring her friend.
Fatal Electric Scooter Crash
Two months after the tragic incident, Abby's heartbroken mother, Lori Kralle, is sharing her grief by remembering how she desperately sought answers about her daughter's condition after a nurse called from the emergency room.
The mother said that it was one of the worst phone calls that a parent can get in their lifetime. She remembered how she repeatedly kept asking, "Is she alert? Is she responsive?" However, the hospital was not able to give her an answer about her daughter.
Abby was an honor student who attended Ridley Middle School and was said to have loved swimming, cheerleading, and making other people smile. Her sudden death came as a shock to the entire community, according to Fox10TV.
The 12-year-old girl's family is now turning their grief into action and is working with a state legislator to pass Abby's Law. The legislation introduces various rules, such as a cap on e-scooter speeds of 20 miles per hour, a ban on riders under the age of 16 years, and requiring helmets for 16- and 17-year-old individuals.
The late girl's uncle, Ron Kralle, also created a Facebook page to raise awareness and gather support for the legislation the family is championing. So far, thousands of people have already joined as momentum continues to grow.
Pushing for a New Law
Ron noted that there are still people who argue that their rights cannot be taken away, but noted that people hear more and more scooter incidents happening. One example is when two 14-year-olds got seriously injured while riding a scooter in nearby Springfield, CBS News reported.
Abby's death comes as electric scooters are becoming more and more popular, especially among younger individuals. However, the Kralle family believes that current laws have not been able to keep up.
Other than the family's efforts to push for the new law, some local municipalities have already outlawed electric scooters, such as Ridley Township. St. Sen. Tim Kearney of Swarthmore said that they want to make sure that tragedies, such as the one that befell the Kralle family, do not happen to others, as per Fox29.
