BOISE, Idaho — A Meridian woman is sharing her harrowing experience after an electric scooter accident left her unconscious and hospitalized for over 10 hours, emphasizing the importance of helmet safety on the increasingly crowded Greenbelt.
Chelssie Oates has no memory of the moment that changed her life when she fell off an electric scooter while riding on the Boise Greenbelt.
"I don't remember anything. I don't remember the wheel turning. I don't remember the face plant," Oates said.
The accident happened suddenly, leaving Oates with serious injuries and memory gaps that persist today.
"According to my husband, I was bleeding out my mouth because I cut inside my cheek because I smacked the side of my cheek. So yeah, that's all I do remember. But I still, still to this day, I ask my husband, where did our son go, did you eat dinner that night?" Oates said.
Paramedics arrived within 7 minutes of the accident, but Oates only learned this detail days later.
"I was very combative. I was very not talking to them. I wouldn't let them put needles in me. I wouldn't let them cut clothes off of me," Oates said.
The Boise Greenbelt has seen transportation methods evolve with electric scooters and bikes becoming increasingly common. City officials have previously discussed speed ordinance changes, recommending that Greenbelt users travel at "reasonable speeds."
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The city has even considered implementing a 10 mph speed limit in certain sections of the Greenbelt.
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Oates told me her scooter doesn't exceed 15 mph, but the accident still resulted in serious injuries.
In the months since her accident, which occurred during what was meant to be a celebratory outing for the last day of school, Oates has become an advocate for helmet safety.
"Just, I, like I said, is always wear a helmet when you can. Really. I mean, I see adults wear helmets all the time now, but I wish the kids would wear it more," Oates said.
A GoFundMe has been established to help Oates with mounting medical bills.
