E-scooter trauma admissions nearly doubled in the U.S. between 2021 and 2023, with children under 16 facing the highest risk of serious injury. Two new studies highlight alarming gaps in helmet use and a lack of standardized federal regulations. Researchers are calling for age-appropriate rules and federal-level laws to curb the growing toll on trauma centers.
E-scooters may look harmless, but two new studies published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons reveal they're sending a growing number of people — especially kids — to the hospital. U.S. e-scooter trauma admissions nearly doubled between 2021 and 2023, jumping from 2,311 to 4,430 cases. Notably, 1 in 6 ER patients ended up in the ICU, and only 12.1% of injured riders were wearing a helmet.
A separate study focusing on younger riders found that children aged 6–15 accounted for nearly three-quarters of e-scooter injuries in patients 18 and under. Counterintuitively, younger kids were traveling at lower speeds than older teens — suggesting that a child's still-developing body, not just velocity, is a key factor in injury severity.
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Why it matters: With no standardized federal e-scooter laws currently in place, researchers are urging policymakers to act — from mandatory helmet requirements to age-appropriate riding regulations — before the injury toll climbs even higher.
