Rules of the road: where can motorized scooters travel

A white floral cross with a spray of roses — with a single red rose lying on the ground at its base — now stands in front of the home of Ann Gray Towler, 61.

Towler is the Danville woman who was killed early Tuesday as she attempted to cross Westover Drive in her motorized scooter.

A news release from the Danville Police Department said the driver of a 1994 Honda Accord attempted to swerve around Towler, but hit her with the front passenger side of the car.

The 61-year-old Danville resident was on her way to Goodwill Industries, a block and a half from her home, where she had worked in various capacities for 27 years. Most recently, Towler had worked processing donations as a rack hanger.

Gary Cotta, Goodwill’s CEO and president, said Tuesday that Towler typically arrived at Goodwill early; Towler was struck at about 6:20 a.m.

Goodwill’s Human Resources Assistant Wendy Pickeral said Towler could not walk well and spent most of her time in the motorized scooter, which was also her primary means of transportation.

Where can motorized scooters and wheelchairs travel?

State law defines both motorized scooters and wheelchairs as “electric personal assistive mobility devices.” They are prohibited from driving on interstate highways, but can be driven on roads with speeds of 25 mph or less if there are no sidewalks available.

The speed posted on Westover Drive in the stretch from Towler’s home to Goodwill is 35 mph, and there are no sidewalks — but there are bicycle lanes on both sides of the street, except for a half-block stretch on the westbound side. Drivers of a wheelchair in the bike lane have the same rights and duties as a pedestrian.

There are no traffic signals or marked crosswalks that would make it safer for a pedestrian in that stretch of Westover Drive.

Towler was hit as she attempted to cross the street at about 6:20 a.m. She made it across the eastbound lane and was hit as she crossed the westbound lane.

State laws require motorized wheelchairs/scooters to have a white headlight visible in clear weather from 500 feet away, and a red reflector in the rear that is visible from 600 feet behind the wheelchair/scooter, if the device is being operated after dark, from sunset to sunrise.

Sgt. B.L. Robertson, of the Danville Police Department, said Towler’s scooter had no lights or reflectors.

No charges have been filed against the driver of the vehicle that struck Towler. Danville Police Department Lt. Doug Crawford said the investigation is ongoing.

Were better transportation methods available?

Goodwill Industries and the Danville Division of Social Services were both asked if Towler had ever requested transportation assistance for getting from her home to work.

John Moody, director of Social Services, said the agency does help clients with transportation problems, supplying some with bus tokens or even paying to fix a broken-down vehicle. Apparently, however, Towler had not applied to DSS for assistance — Moody said she was not a customer of the agency.

Representatives from Goodwill could not immediately answer the question. Cotta was out of town and could not be reached Wednesday; Pickeral said he would have to answer any questions relating to employee transportation assistance.