Manhattan, NY (July 31, 2026) — A 49-year-old woman riding a standup e-scooter died on Thursday morning, July 30, after being struck by a Tesla at the intersection of Amsterdam Avenue and West 60th Street on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, according to police. She was heading north on Amsterdam Avenue when the Tesla, headed west on West 60th Street, struck her around 10:35 a.m.
Medics took her to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her name had not been released as of this report.
The Tesla’s driver, a 34-year-old man, stayed at the scene, and no charges had been filed as of this report. A specialized police unit was handling the investigation.
The investigation remained ongoing as this report was filed. Our thoughts are with the woman’s family during this difficult time.
Why Are E-Scooters So Hard for Drivers to Notice?
E-scooters sit much lower to the ground than a car or even a bicycle, which makes them easy to lose in a driver’s field of view, especially in busy city traffic. Their electric motors also run nearly silent, removing one of the cues, like engine or pedal noise, that might otherwise draw a driver’s attention.
Speed adds another layer of difficulty at intersections. Many standup e-scooters can travel 15 to 20 miles per hour, faster than a walking pedestrian but visually mistaken for one, which can lead a turning driver to misjudge how quickly the rider will reach a crosswalk or intersection.
Riders can help by wearing bright or reflective clothing and using front and rear lights, even during daylight hours when visibility seems adequate. Drivers, in turn, are encouraged to take a full visual sweep of an intersection before turning rather than a quick glance, since a scooter’s smaller size and quiet motor make it easy to miss in that brief moment.
