A multi‑centre study in England has found a dramatic rise in children treated for e‑scooter injuries, increasing from fewer than 10 cases in 2019 to almost 150 in 2024 across three paediatric emergency departments. Researchers say the steep climb — more than a fifteen‑fold increase over the study period — represents a growing public‑health concern that requires better regulation and prevention efforts.
Study findings and clinical impact
The research, which reviewed cases seen between January 2019 and December 2024 at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool, identified 477 injured children in total. The average age was about 12 years, and almost two‑thirds of patients were boys.
Most injuries were sustained by the rider rather than a third party: 95% involved the person riding the e‑scooter, while 5% involved pedestrians struck by scooters. The commonest mechanism was a fall from the device (about 75% of cases); collisions with motor vehicles accounted for roughly 11.5%.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Total children treated (2019–2024) | 477 |
| Rider injuries | 95% |
| Pedestrian injuries | 5% |
| Falls from e‑scooter | ~75% |
| Vehicle collisions | ~11.5% |
| Head injuries | ~25% |
| Facial injuries | ~19% |
| Helmet use reported | <2% |
| Required imaging | 64.5% |
| Admissions | 13.5% |
| Surgeries | 7% |
Clinical burden and disparities
The study underscores substantial resource use in emergency departments: nearly two‑thirds of injured children underwent imaging such as X‑rays or CT scans, more than one in eight were admitted to hospital, and about 7 per cent required an operation. Despite this level of harm, helmet use was strikingly uncommon — reported in fewer than 2 per cent of rider cases.
Researchers also noted a socioeconomic pattern: approximately 74% of injured children lived in communities identified as having the highest levels of social and economic disadvantage. That finding aligns with wider evidence that injury risk and exposure to unsafe transport environments often concentrate in deprived areas.
Regulatory context and prevention
The legal framework for e‑scooter use in the UK varies by type. There is no minimum age for riding a private e‑scooter on private property, while rental schemes generally require riders to be at least 16 and to hold a driving licence. In this study, about 80% of incidents involved privately owned e‑scooters.
“Utilising approaches like educational campaigns, such as bicycle safety schemes targeted to e‑scooter riders, could be beneficial and have been shown to improve riders’ safety behaviour,”
Authors argue that children and adolescents are often inexperienced road users and more prone to risk‑taking, so targeted safety education could reduce harm. They recommend borrowing from proven bicycle‑safety programmes and tailoring messages to young riders.
- Education: school and community campaigns aimed at novice riders.
- Equipment: stronger promotion or requirements for helmets and protective gear.
- Policy: reconsidering age limits and access to private e‑scooters, and clearer rules for riders on public roads.
What it means for Canada
While the study is UK‑based, the patterns raise questions for Canadian municipalities and provincial governments that have seen rising micro‑mobility use. Increasing availability of privately owned e‑scooters, low helmet uptake among young users and concentrations of harm in disadvantaged neighbourhoods are relevant considerations for public‑health officials and planners in Canadian jurisdictions weighing regulation, enforcement and injury‑prevention investments.
For clinicians and emergency planners, the findings signal the potential for growing paediatric demand linked to micro‑mobility injuries and the need for prevention strategies that combine regulation, infrastructure and education — especially in communities already facing health inequities.
— Health reporting by WE NEWS
