We are seeing them everywhere.
Some are even being left in our front yards. So how are these ever-present electric scooters causing injuries that we are treating in our clinics? There has been an influx of injuries from falls and crashes related to the scooter as it grows quickly in popularity. Hospitals are reporting that an average of 2 to 3 patients per day are being treated for scooter-related injuries. This does not even take into consideration the other doctors, nurses and urgent care facilities that treat these injuries.
A study conducted by the Public Health and Transportation department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that half of the injured riders reported sustaining a “severe injury.” The study authors define severe injuries as bone fractures (84%); nerve, tendon, or ligament injuries (45%); severe bleeding (5%); and sustained organ damage (1%).1 According to the National Association of City Transportation Officials, there were 38.5 million trips on rentable scooters in the US in 2018. As more individuals are using an electric scooter as a mode of transportation, the injuries can only be expected to be on the rise as well.
The electric scooter seems like an extremely fun and easy way to travel. Please be aware of its dangers as you are on a motorized apparatus that is traveling anywhere between 15 and 20 mph. We hope you do not suffer an injury like so many have already on the scooter.
If you do end up with an injury, be assured that our team at Foothills Sports Medicine will strive to get you back as quick as possible. Find a location near you.
1- Hawkins, Andrew J. “Electric Scooter Use Results in 20 Injuries per 100,000 Trips, CDC Finds.” The Verge, The Verge, 2 May 2019, www.theverge.com/2019/5/2/18526813/scooter-electric- injury-austin-cdc-study-head-helmet.
