Children as young as nine hurt in growing number of e-scooter crashes
Three trauma centres - Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield - say they have treated nearly 500 casualties under the age of 16.
Children as young as nine are increasingly suffering injuries from e-scooter crashes, a new review reveals. Three major trauma centres - Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield - treated 477 children under 16, with cases rising from fewer than 10 in 2019 to nearly 150 in 2024. The average age of the injured was 12, with the youngest just nine years old.
Alarmingly, many were not wearing helmets. Doctors are advocating for stricter laws to better protect young riders. Currently, there are no age restrictions, speed limits or safety equipment requirements for the estimated 1.2 million private e-scooter owners in the UK. Some e-scooters even have a turbo mode, allowing them to reach speeds of around 28mph.
Recently, a UK teenager was killed when the e-scooter he was riding - equipped with a turbo mode - collided with a BMW car on a busy road in Manchester. The driver of the e-scooter and his passenger both suffered serious injuries, including brain bleeds and numerous fractures. Most e-scooter incidents in Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield involved private scooters used on public roads, pavements or footpaths, despite it being illegal.
The majority of injured children were aged 10 to 13, and nearly two-thirds were boys. The most common cause was falling off the e-scooter, with around 11% of injuries resulting from collisions with vehicles. Head or facial injuries were most common, followed by arm and leg injuries. Researchers emphasize the need for tougher laws, suggesting helmet use should be mandatory, and calling for retailers to clearly inform customers of the laws and policymakers to regulate private e-scooters, potentially with speed limiters.
In the UK, legally renting an e-scooter requires being at least 16, holding a full or provisional driving licence, and the rental company must provide appropriate insurance. Retailers must provide insurance, but private e-scooters have no legal restrictions. The Department for Transport stated these findings are concerning and new laws are being considered to ensure safe and legal use of e-scooters, including helmet requirements.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
