Research In Action

Last month at the American Academy of Pediatrics national meeting, my colleagues at CHOP presented results from their observational study exploring trends in injuries associated with electric scooter use among the pediatric population. 

What They Did

The researchers queried the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database to identify injuries associated with electric scooter use among children age 18 or younger between 2020 and 2021. 

What They Found

There were roughly 13,500 electric scooter related injuries presenting to emergency departments during the 2-year study period. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of injuries rose by about 70%:

• The majority of injured patients were male, white, and 16-18 years of age.
• Over half of injuries occurred during the spring and summer periods.
• The most common injury diagnoses were fracture and contusions. 
• The most injured body parts were the head and face. 
• Among the cases where helmet use was reported, only about a third reported helmet use during the injury. About 66% of patients with head injuries among this group were not wearing a helmet at the time of injury.  

What This Means

A key takeaway from this study is the importance of helmets whenever riding an electric scooter. A study from 2017 showed that only 57% of parents would make their child or teen use a helmet when riding a scooter. Furthermore, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 16 should not operate or ride on motorized or electric scooters.

Other tips to promote e-scooter safety from the Consumer Product Safety Association and American Academy of Pediatrics include:

• Check for damage to the electric scooter before riding. This includes checking handlebars, brakes, throttle, bell, lights, tires, cables, and frame. Damaged equipment can increase the risk of a crash. 
• Be familiar with how to use the brakes and how long it takes for the electric scooter to stop.
• Alert others and be seen. Because electric scooters are silent, other users of the road may not be aware of an electric scooter's presence. Use a ball or horn to alert others.
• No texting and riding. Avoid use of earbuds. 
• Use bike lanes when available. Electric scooters are not allowed on highways.