Paediatric e-Scooter Injuries Rising Sharply, Study Finds

Emergency care data from three children’s major trauma centres in England, currently part of an ongoing government trial, have revealed an increasing number of injuries from electric scooters (e-scooters). Researchers said annual totals rose from fewer than 10 in 2019 to nearly 150 in 2024. Ten of 59 deaths recorded nationally since 2019 involved under-18s. They said clearer public health messaging and a review of government legislation were needed urgently. The data were gathered from the emergency departments of Sheffield Children’s Hospital, the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool between January 2019 and December 2024. A system change meant Royal Manchester's figures cover only 2023 and 2024, so the true number of injuries over the full 6 years may be higher than reported. Two of the three cities, Liverpool and Manchester, are part of an ongoing government pilot for rental e-scooters, which started in July 2020 and is due to finish in May 2028. The trial permits e-scooters in designated areas to operate legally on roads and cycle lanes. There are currently 18 live trials across England. While rented e-scooter use isn’t legally permitted until age 16, private use is unregulated. Private e-scooters are only supposed to be used on private land with the owner’s permission but are increasingly used illegally on roads and pavements. Last year, the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety said that over a million e-scooters were already in use, both legally and illegally.Most Injuries Involve Illegally Used Private e-ScootersThe researchers, led by Dr Lisa Sabir of Sheffield Children's Hospital, said that while the vehicles are designed for adults, they are often used by children and teenagers who are likely to be novice road users and prone to take more risks.Their data, published in the Emergency Medicine Journal, showed that of the total 477 child patients presenting with e-scooter injuries over the 6-year period, 94.8% of injuries were to the rider, 75.3% were falls, 11.3% were collisions with another vehicle, and 5.2% involved pedestrians hit by an e-scooter. Most incidents (at least 80%) involved private e-scooters, and only 2.5% occurred on private land; 51.6% happened on public land, 22% on public roads, and 29.6% on public footpaths or parks. Median age of those experiencing casualties was 12 years, 64.4% were male, and 74% lived in deprived areas; 40.6% sustained leg injuries, 36.2% arms, 24.1% head, and 18.4% facial. One in 10 (10.4%) head injuries were graded as serious (Abbreviated Injury Scale score 3 or 4), and 48% of the most severe injuries resulted from a collision with a motor vehicle or stationary object. Only 1.8% of injured children were wearing a helmet. Overall, 13.4% of patients were admitted to hospital and 6.9% required surgery.“We urgently need to increase public and clinician awareness, have clearer public health messaging, and a review of government legislation to prevent further injuries and deaths,” the team concluded. Suggested measures included mandating helmet use.Increasing Serious Injuries and Deaths In May, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine issued a position statement highlighting increasing numbers of serious injuries and deaths related to e-scooters. It said there were an estimated 1.2 million privately owned machines in the UK, the majority of which were being used illegally, and that injuries were “hugely under-reported.” e-scooters can be “modified to travel at up to 90 mph” and pose “significant risks to both riders, other road users and pedestrians,” the college said. Research published in Scientific Reports last week also showed an increasing adult injury burden with rising e-scooter use in England and Wales. Data from the National Major Trauma Registry on more than 15,000 patients showed that e-scooter riders had 3.5 times higher risk for traumatic brain injury, 1.5 times higher risk for internal organ injury, and 3.2 times higher risk for artery or vein injury than motorcyclists. These risks were 1.7, 1.4, and 1.7 times higher, respectively, compared with pedal cyclists.The Department for Transport said the primary aim of its trials was to build “robust evidence about the safety, public perceptions, and wider impacts of e-scooters,” to inform any legal changes necessary. The secondary aim was to improve understanding of local transport systems and learn lessons for “future rollout.”A national evaluation of e-scooter trials was published in 2022 and a second is expected before the end of 2026.Dr Sheena Meredith is an established medical writer, editor, and consultant in healthcare communications, with extensive experience writing for medical professionals and the general public. She is qualified in medicine and in law and medical ethics.