A new study finds that injuries and ER admissions involving electric scooters are on the rise. Researchers also included that a third of patients injured from them have head injuries from powered transportation. Yet, accidents are not always their fault.
About Electric Scooters
Electric rental scooters are a motorized form of transportation appearing in every major city across the United States. What seemed like a great idea to mitigate transportation issues has now become a danger. This isn’t just to those in the communities who have to avoid driving and narrowly missing those not paying attention to traffic laws, but also to riders using defective scooters and getting injured.
Scooter Injuries Increasing
JAMA Surgery published a study where researchers discovered that e-scooter injury rates had increased dramatically in just four years. In fact, the rates have doubled. There are nearly 20 injuries per 10,000 riders. Of the estimated 14,651 e-scooter-related injuries in 2018, 4,658, or 32%, involved the head. Upper extremity injuries totaled 3,747 in 2018, up more than three-fold from 1,083 in 2014, while lower-extremity injuries also rose nearly three-fold from 1,721 to 4,707.
People ages 18 to 34 were the most likely to sustain e-scooter injuries. During the study period, hospital admissions in this age group skyrocketed, rising by 354%. A 2019 analysis of data from two hospitals in Southern California, which found just 4.8% of injured e-scooter riders were wearing helmets.
Scooter Injuries
The most frequent scooter injuries are head injuries, concussions, and lacerations. closed head injuries, concussions, and lacerations. However, broken bones are 27% of all cases. This includes neck and facial fractures. A helmet could have easily prevented injuries. A study by an ER chairwoman at the Staten Island University Hospital also noted that her patients could have easily prevented many injuries with a helmet or adequate body gear.
These scooters look like toys, however, they can go up to 30 mph. An electric scooter can injury children and the elderly alike. Crashing without a helmet can cause life-threatening internal bleeding.
Talk to an Attorney
If you or someone you love has been involved in an electric scooter accident, help could be available. These include Bird Scooter accidents, Lime Scooter accidents, Lyft Scooter accidents along with other rental scooter accidents. Our consultations are free and without obligation. Therefore, after an electric scooter injury, contact us today.