Scooter-Related Injuries And Surgeries Drastically Increased Over 4 Years, Study Finds

Forbes Innovation Breaking Scooter-Related Injuries And Surgeries Drastically Increased Over 4 Years, Study Finds Arianna Johnson Forbes Staff I cover the latest trends in science, tech and healthcare. Following Click to save this article. You’ll be asked to sign into your Forbes account.

Got it Jan 9, 2024, 07:17pm EST Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline Scooter-related hospitalizations outnumbered bike-related hospitalizations in 2020, and over 50% resulted in surgery, a new study found, as several U. S. cities figure out their e-scooter regulations through test programs, which limit the usage of the machines.

Close up of people couple using electric scooter in city park. getty Key Facts Hospitalizations for scooter-related injuries increased nearly threefold between 2016 and 2020, and over half of the patients hospitalized underwent some form of surgery, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Patients hospitalized with scooter-related injuries were more likely to be under the age of 18 compared to those with bicycle injuries (26.

7% compared to 16. 4%), and more likely to undergo surgery (55. 8% vs.

48. 1%)—the study grouped electric scooter (or e-scooter) and regular scooter injuries together. Age requirements for or e-scooters vary by state: some states like Texas, California and Georgia require riders to be at least 16, while other states like Washington, Colorado and Kentucky don’t have age restrictions.

Though those with scooter injuries were more likely to have paralysis or long bone fracture, both groups had similar trends in traumatic brain injuries. Total annual costs for bicycle- and scooter-related hospitalizations during the study period increased by almost five times, from $6. 6 million in 2016 to $35.

5 million in 2020, the study found. However, proper safety precautions may help decrease injuries: 87% of children who experienced skull fractures while riding e-scooters were not wearing helmets, a 2022 study found, and the U. S.

Consumer Safety Product Commission recommends e-scooter riders always wear helmets. Crucial Quote “Things such as enforced speed limits and dedicated lanes for scooters are vital to minimize the risk of injuries to vehicles, scooter riders and pedestrians alike,” Nam Yong Cho, lead author and research associate at the UCLA Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories, said in a statement . Key Background E-scooters are different from regular kick scooters because they’re motorized and have their own braking systems, making them faster and more ideal for longer rides, according to Apollo Scooters.

Lime and Bird—popular e-scooter rental companies—go up to speeds of 15 and 16 miles per hour, respectively. They first gained popularity in 2018 when rental companies started releasing them in cities across the country, Wired reports . Since then, the market grew to nearly $33.

2 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow by almost 10% annually between 2023 and 2030, according to data from market research firm Grand View Research. Since their arrival, several cities across the country have implemented regulations on e-scooters due to safety issues and pedestrian complaints. New York City lifted its ban on e-scooters in June 2023 for a year-long pilot program allowing their use in parks and paths along the Hudson River, East River, Harlem River and Jamaica Bay.

West Hollywood, California banned e-scooters in 2018, though in 2021 it allowed two scooter companies to deploy a set amount of scooters a day as part of a two-year pilot program, and the city council made the program permanent in October 2023. Beverly Hills, California also implemented a ban on e-scooters due to an influx of the vehicles from popular rental companies such as Lime and Bird, though the city is working on a pilot program to reintroduce them. After motorized scooters were banned from public streets in Honolulu in 2003, the city reversed this ruling in 2022 to provide alternative transportation options.

Regulations on where e-scooters can be driven vary by city. Dallas prohibits e-scooters from being driven on sidewalks, trails, plazas or roads with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or higher. Chicago limits e-scooters from parks, sidewalks, beaches and certain trails.

Surprising Fact A JAMA Network Open study found the increase of e-scooter injuries coincided with the rise of e-scooters on college campuses. Most scooter riders tend to be young men: between 66% and 81% of participants identified as male, while between 50% and 73% were younger than 40, according to data from National Association of City Transportation Officials. Tangent E-scooter injuries can sometimes be fatal.

A New York father died on Dec. 30, 2023, 11 days after he crashed an e-scooter, according to the New York Post. Derrick Cristobal was on his way to pick up his two-year-old daughter when he lost control of the scooter and was thrown to the pavement, suffering a head injury.

Though he was conscious and awake after the accident, he slowly lost consciousness in the hospital and eventually died from his brain injuries. Further Reading Queens dad dies days after e-scooter crash left him with head injury (New York Post) Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn . Send me a secure tip .

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