When researchers at Johns Hopkins University recently explored electric scooter injuries among kids, one group stood out.
Using 2020-2024 data from a nationally representative sample of U.S. emergency rooms, the researchers found that boys 17 and younger accounted for nearly 71% of the more than 2,100 recorded e-scooter injuries among kids. Around 42% of those injuries occurred in 2024 alone.
Other findings:
- Kids 11 to 14 years old suffered 38.3% of the injuries.
- The most common injuries: fractures, dislocations, strains and sprains, along with soft tissue ailments.
Use of e-scooters also increases the risk of traumatic brain injuries, study co-author and pediatric emergency physician Mary Beth Howard said in a press release. Contributing factors include greater risk-taking and less frequent use of helmets and other protective equipment. The higher percentages of incidents involving younger riders supports the move by many local and state governments to place age restrictions on e-scooter use, the researchers point out.
“Younger adolescents have less-developed motor skills, poorer judgment, and limited experience with traffic and road safety, making them more susceptible to injuries,” said Howard, who works for the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.
The study was published in the journal Injury.
