The city of Tucker has outlawed electric scooters, the two-wheeled devices that have become commonplace on Atlanta’s streets and sidewalks over the past year.
The Tucker City Council voted 5-1 Monday night to ban "shareable powered mobility devices," which includes e-scooters and shared electric bicycles. Tucker, located in DeKalb County, previously passed a 120-day moratorium on the devices while city staff researched the issue.
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“A primary concern for the city of Tucker is that of public safety for our residents, the riders and the driving public, which has been highlighted by the unfortunately large number of accidents including fatalities related to these devices,” the city’s community development director wrote in a memo to the City Council.
Since they arrived in the city of Atlanta last summer, the electric scooters have sparked conversations about safety, convenience, public transit and the state of the area’s roadways.
Four people riding e-scooters have died in metro Atlanta, and countless more have been injured. The Atlanta City Council passed e-scooter regulations in January but are looking into ways to make roads safer for riders.
Meanwhile, municipalities surrounding Atlanta — like Tucker — have taken up the issue, passing their own regulations or bans. Fellow DeKalb County cities Decatur and Brookhaven both have regulations allowing for limited e-scooter operations.
» MORE: Which metro Atlanta cities have banned e-scooters?
Many other suburban cities, including Snellville, Smyrna, Marietta and Alpharetta, have passed their own bans.
Tucker said it is prohibiting e-scooters because of the city’s “very busy and extensive commercial corridors,” and the worry that they would be left if the public right of way, according to the memo.
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