By Marisa Dawson, Photos by Enrique Freed

An 11-year-old child remains in critical condition after an electric scooter crash Tuesday evening in Bennington, as investigators continue working to determine exactly what led to the collision.

The crash occurred near the intersection of 179th Street and Island Circle. According to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the child was transported by Bennington Fire & Rescue to Children’s Nebraska in critical condition.

Authorities said the driver of the pickup truck involved in the crash remained at the scene and has been fully cooperative throughout the investigation. Investigators have interviewed multiple witnesses and are reviewing video footage from nearby neighborhood cameras as they work to piece together what happened. Additional details from witness statements are still being investigated and will not be released at this time.

Early findings indicate that neither speed, alcohol, nor drugs are suspected to have been factors in the crash.

Investigators also confirmed that the children involved were not wearing helmets at the time of the collision.

Before first responders arrived, a bystander who witnessed the crash immediately stepped in to help. That individual, who is a healthcare worker, began performing CPR until emergency crews took over.

Bennington Buzz has chosen not to identify the 11-year-old child at this time out of respect for the family.

As the investigation continues, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office hopes the incident serves as a reminder that preventing crashes like this requires everyone to work together.

Drivers are urged to remain especially alert in residential neighborhoods during the summer months, when more children are outside riding bicycles, scooters and e-bikes.

“Drivers are asked to be patient when sharing the road, especially in neighborhoods,” said Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Communications Coordinator Spencer Head. “Younger riders on bikes and scooters are often present, especially during summertime.”

Head noted that while children are often eager to ride independently, they may not always understand or consistently follow traffic laws.

“Often, these juveniles do not fully understand the rules of the road and may crisscross the roadway or not fully stop at intersections,” he said. “Anyone utilizing the public roadways, including juveniles, should be aware of all of the rules of the road.”

Although the Sheriff’s Office has not necessarily seen an increase in crashes involving young riders, deputies have noticed more close calls during the summer.

“I don’t know that we have seen more accidents, but with school being out we have definitely seen more activity and reports of near accidents,” Head said.

Parents also play a critical role in keeping young riders safe. While electric scooters are legal to operate on roadways in situations like this, Head emphasized that children should only be riding if they fully understand the responsibilities that come with sharing the road.

“It is imperative that they stop at all stop signs, yield the right-of-way, and ride on the correct side of the roadway,” he said.

Head added that parents should carefully consider whether their child is mature enough to safely navigate traffic before allowing them to ride alone.

“If your child is too young to understand that, or may not fully grasp the requirements, please work with them and consider not allowing them to ride without an adult present.”

The Sheriff’s Office also stressed the importance of helmet use.

“Helmet use is always important, regardless of the type of accident,” Head said. “The brain is very vulnerable to injury, especially in juveniles whose brains are still developing. Any safety precautions are advisable.”

Drivers can also help reduce the risk of serious crashes by slowing down and anticipating that children may act unpredictably.

“Exercise caution and slow down if necessary,” Head said. “If the behavior is dangerous or reckless, call 911 to report it and a Deputy will respond to address the behavior with the juvenile and their parent(s).”

Ultimately, Head said everyone who uses the roadway shares responsibility for keeping one another safe.

“Everyone plays a role in preventing accidents such as this: drivers, riders, and parents,” he said. “We ask that everyone utilizing a roadway be accountable for one-another. Whether you are on one wheel or eighteen. Safe roads are everyone’s responsibility.”

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office investigation remains ongoing. We will continue to follow the development and release additional details as we can. Anyone with additional information about the crash is encouraged to contact investigators. Our thoughts are with everyone involved.