Trauma centers in Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield have documented a significant increase in pediatric e-scooter injuries, according to a review presented in the Emergency Medicine Journal. The three facilities treated 477 patients under age 16 from 2019 through 2024, with annual case numbers escalating from fewer than 10 in 2019 to nearly 150 in 2024. The average age of injured children was 12 years, with the youngest patient being 9 years old.
The review revealed that approximately half of the injured children were between 10 and 13 years old, and nearly two-thirds were boys. Most injuries resulted from riders falling off e-scooters, while only 5% involved pedestrians struck by the devices. Collisions with vehicles accounted for around 11% of incidents and were associated with more severe injuries. The most frequent injuries affected the arms and legs, followed by head and facial trauma. Notably, hardly any of the injured children were wearing helmets at the time of their accidents.
Currently, the United Kingdom has no legal age restrictions, speed limits, or mandatory safety equipment requirements for the approximately 1.2 million private e-scooter owners. Some devices feature a turbo mode capability enabling speeds around 28mph. Private e-scooters are legally restricted to private land with owner permission, yet most incidents reviewed involved their use on public roads, pavements, or footpaths. In contrast, rental e-scooters are limited to 15mph and require riders to be at least 16 with valid driving licenses.
Emergency medicine physicians are advocating for legislative protections, including speed limiters and mandatory helmet use similar to regulations in other countries. The review recommends that schools, local councils, youth organizations, and retailers all play roles in promoting safer practices. A Department for Transport spokesperson acknowledged the concerning findings and indicated that new regulations are being developed to establish safe and legal parameters for e-scooter use.
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