Written by Kimi Dunbar
Spoon Feed
Electric scooters are much more dangerous than non-electric scooters, resulting in more severe and life-threatening injuries.
Synopsis
This study examined the injury risks associated with Electric Scooter (e-scooter) use in children and adolescents, comparing incidents involving e-scooters to those with non-electric scooters. Analysis of 633 cases from a single trauma center revealed that e-scooter riders, especially adolescents, were significantly more likely to experience life-threatening traffic accidents and severe head injuries than those using non-electric scooters. E-scooter injuries often required surgical intervention and prolonged hospital stays. Given the high risk of severe injuries, the study suggests enhanced injury prevention strategies, including protective gear use, legislative measures, and education for youth and parents on e-scooter safety. (AI-generated)
Electric scooters – a blessing and a curse
This is a retrospective, single center, cohort study conducted at the University of Vienna that demonstrated an increase in e-scooter related injuries from 2019 to 2021. Compared to non-electric scooters, participants riding e-scooters were more likely to be involved in traffic accidents (p=0.0001) and to sustain severe head injuries such as skull fracture or intracranial bleed (p=0.0217). While this study was conducted at a single center outside the U.S., with different scooter regulations and likely different traffic patterns, the findings are corroborated by reports by the CDC and CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) that found approximately 14 injuries/100,000 e-scooter rides and a 66% increase in ED visits due to e-scooter injuries since 2020. This study adds legitimacy to the AAP’s guidelines that recommend restricting e-scooter use to adolescents >16, use of helmets, and general safe practices, including no operation under the influence of substances, no texting and riding, etc. The increase in prevalence and severity of injuries highlights the need for us to be current on trends in adolescent and young adult behavior and to provide appropriate anticipatory guidance. While helmets aren’t provided with rideshare scooters, it’s worth bringing one along if you are planning to utilize this transportation option.
Source
Paediatric e-scooter riders at high risk of life-threatening traffic accidents. Pediatr Res. 2024 Oct 22. doi: 10.1038/s41390-024-03667-6. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39433964
