Abigail Gillon Cause Of Death: Uncle of girl killed in Delco crash advocates for e-scooter helmet law.

Abigail Gillon Cause Of Death – The tragic death of 12-year-old Abigail Gillon in an electric scooter accident in Delaware County has sparked a call for legislative change. Abigail was riding an e-scooter with her 11-year-old friend, Bella Jones, when they were struck by a vehicle near Lehr Boulevard and Concord Road over the weekend. She died from her injuries Monday night, according to Aston Township police.
In response, Abigail’s uncle, Ron Kralle, took to Facebook on Tuesday to urge the public and state lawmakers to support a new law requiring children under 18 to wear helmets when using scooters, bicycles, or other similar forms of transportation. Rather than imposing fines for violations, Kralle suggested that authorities should confiscate the equipment involved. “This is the only way we can save a life,” he wrote.
Kralle emphasized the devastating impact Abigail’s death has had on their family and the broader community. He referenced the growing number of serious injuries involving kids on scooters and skateboards and pleaded for widespread support to help promote safety legislation. “I wouldn’t wish what we just had to endure on my worst enemy,” he wrote.
NBC 10 contacted local lawmakers for their stance on the matter. State Representative Lisa Borowski of District 168 expressed sympathy and support for safety-focused legislation, though she noted the complexities of enforcement. “Any legislation that can be passed to protect children is a positive,” she said, adding that the tragedy brought attention to the importance of proactive safety measures.
State Senator Tim Kearney, through a spokesperson, extended condolences to Abigail’s family and shared that he hopes to connect with them directly. He stated that this incident highlights the need for modernizing laws to reflect the growing use of e-scooters. As a member of the Senate Transportation Committee, Kearney has previously worked on e-scooter legislation and now plans to introduce a bill this fall focused on safety. Proposed measures could include age limits, speed regulations, mandatory safety equipment, and public education for both riders and motorists.
The push for new rules has stirred mixed reactions from the public. Elizabeth Elmendorf, who was visiting the area, said she was surprised Pennsylvania doesn’t already have a helmet law for minors. “That should definitely be a requirement,” she said, citing basic safety.
Others, like Mike Skulski, were more skeptical. While acknowledging the tragedy, he argued that safety is the responsibility of parents, not the government. “At the end of the day, it’s not up to the government to put laws onto the parents to protect their kids,” he stated.
Currently, e-scooters are technically not legal on Pennsylvania roadways or sidewalks. The Pennsylvania House Transportation Committee explained that e-scooters fail to meet motor vehicle requirements and thus cannot be titled, registered, or operated on public roads or sidewalks. While efforts to legalize them have been made in recent years, no law has yet passed.
In light of Abigail’s death, momentum is building around helmet laws and broader e-scooter safety measures to help prevent similar tragedies in the future.