A Co Antrim teenager who sustained horrific accidents in an electrical scooter accident within the United States has opened up about her terrifying ordeal and revealed that she is “very lucky to be alive”.
ewtownabbey native Karmen Curley, who remains to be affected by the results of that ordeal in California almost three years in the past, is vehemently in opposition to laws to legalise these automobiles in Northern Ireland.
Like others, Karmen (21) — who now has crash-related seizures and suspected epilepsy — has seen the rising variety of unlawful e-scooters right here and the obvious lack of motion on the a part of the PSNI.
In her first interview because the horror accident, Karmen informed the Belfast Telegraph that she’s nonetheless present process checks on account of the accidents she incurred after being thrown over the entrance of an e-scooter.
“I was in hospital for camera tests last year and I’m still on medication because of the accident,” she stated.
“I get migraines quite a bit. The consultants aren’t certain what’s mistaken with me. They imagine it might be put up traumatic epilepsy linked to the accident.
“My sister informed me that as quickly as I got here spherical after the accident I began having seizures. I was seizuring within the ambulance on the best way to the hospital, no matter approach I hit my head.
“The medics told me I was lucky to be alive. They said a lot of people with my type of bleed on the brain don’t survive so I feel very lucky. Even if I do have epilepsy, I’m glad that’s all I have.”
Karmen was simply 18 when she hit a pothole whereas driving an e-scooter and was thrown over the entrance of it.
After being rushed to UCLA Hospital in Los Angeles, she spent almost three weeks in intensive care, after being recognized with a bleed on the mind. She additionally suffered a damaged collarbone, nostril and eye orbital bone.
The younger girl, who now lives in Ballyclare, stated she doesn’t want to see e-scooters legalised.
“E-scooters are so dangerous, I definitely don’t want to see them on public roads,” she stated.
“I see so many kids on them now. I keep thinking I would hate for my child to come off one of them and die. You would just blame yourself for letting them on it.”
The accident occurred after she travelled to the US to go to her sister Sian, a scholar at Southern Connecticut State University.
The sisters had deliberate a visit across the west coast of California for 2 weeks with Sian’s college associates earlier than returning dwelling.
Disaster struck, nonetheless, when the group determined to lease electrical scooters throughout a day trip in Los Angeles.
“Obviously when we hired out e-scooters we thought they looked great and it would be an easy way to get about,” she recalled.
“You don’t take into consideration the truth that should you fall off certainly one of them you’re toast.
“Nobody confirmed us how to use one. We downloaded an app and scanned the e-scooter. Simple.
“They’re everywhere in America. People travel all over the place on them. It’s probably more common to have accidents there.”
Shop employee Karmen stated she doesn’t “remember much about” the day of the accident in May 2019.
“It was the last day of the holiday,” she stated.
“We were going home the next morning. We thought we’d gone down to the beach on the e-scooters and… then I ended up in hospital for nearly three weeks.”
Her sister Sian launched a fundraising marketing campaign to assist with medical payments. Karmen hadn’t taken out journey insurance coverage earlier than the journey. and the remedy cost greater than $15,000 (£11,000) a day due to the seriousness of her accidents. “Every time I woke up in hospital I couldn’t remember where I was,” stated Karmen.
“The accident undoubtedly affected my reminiscence — it’s nonetheless not the most effective.
“But I can’t complain. I’m very lucky to be here.”
Karmen stated it’s distressing when she sees “kids going about on them all the time” close to her dwelling.
“Nobody seems to thinks about health and safety,” she stated.
“One of my associates has an e-scooter. I’ve warned him concerning the risks and he replied that he’d put his hood up… however you’ll be able to’t make folks pay attention to you in the event that they don’t want to.
“At the very least they should get helmets.”
She added: “If you fall off a bike you’ll probably come off the side more than you will flip over the front. I flipped right over the front of the e-scooter.”
Dad Frank (54), a automotive salesman, remains to be coping with the cost of the accident, in accordance to Karmen whose mom Karen (47) suffered an aneurysm and died the 12 months earlier than the accident. The household additionally tragically misplaced Karmen’s brother Saul in a automotive accident in 2014.
UUP peer Lord Rogan, who’s campaigning in opposition to e-scooters, stated Karmen’s accident illustrates how e-scooters are “missiles with handlebars”.
“Karmen has endured a horrendous ordeal and I am sorry to learn that she continues to suffer from her injuries two and a half years after the terrifying accident,” he stated.
“She knows better than anyone just how dangerous e-scooters are and how much damage they can inflict. They must not be allowed on public roads — not now, not ever.”
Lord Rogan urged the PSNI to “prosecute individuals caught riding these wretched machines on our streets”.
“As Karmen can testify, they have the potential to destroy and even end the lives both of riders and members of the public simply going about their everyday business,” he stated.
“Given their rising recognition, regardless of the ban, I would additionally encourage the Northern Ireland Executive to launch a public consciousness marketing campaign to spotlight the risks e-scooters pose.
“Such a campaign should begin in schools, perhaps led by the PSNI, so our young people understand at any early age that e-scooters are bad news.”
He added: “I will continue to raise these matters in the House of Lords and again commend the Belfast Telegraph for drawing attention to the scourge of these missiles with handlebars.”