E-Scooter Accident Injuries Continue to Rise

According to an online news report published on consumerreports.org, a new safety study discovered that there is an emergent need for improved e-scooter rider safety standards. The report states that e-scooter accidents are on a steady rise. Moreover, e-scooter crashes in the United States doubled between 2017 and 2018. The study's authors are now calling for increased safety efforts to protect e-scooter riders. 

The study has been published in JAMA Surgery, and it examined data published by the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). The study reviewed the NEISS estimates of e-scooter injuries treated in emergency rooms. 

Since e-scooters offer a convenient and fast form of transportation, e-scooter-sharing services have become increasingly popular in urban areas. However, this upsurge in usage is leading to a substantial increase in hospital admissions, and these injuries are often very serious. 

Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a research study that monitored e-scooter riders in Austin, Texas. The study discovered that about half of e-scooter injuries were head injuries. An investigation conducted by Consumer Reports last February discovered that approximately 1,500 riders across the United States were injured as soon as e-scooters were introduced. There have been eight tragic deaths linked to e-scooter accidents. 

Research has uncovered that most e-scooter riders do not wear safety helmets. Since e-scooter use throughout the United States has dramatically risen, it's no surprise that there is a sharp rise in injuries. 

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the number of e-scooter accident injuries and hospital visits has surged from 2014 through 2018. There have been over 39,000 injuries between 2014 and 2018. More than half occurred in 2017 and 2018, and nearly one-third of the injuries were head injuries. E-scooter-related hospital admissions grew from 715 admissions in 2017 to 1,374 in 2018. The CDC study discovered that about 10 percent of riders in Austin crashed with a car, and e-scooter malfunctions caused 20 percent of accidents. 

Riders Need to Wear Their Helmets

Since most e-scooter riders do not wear safety helmets, the study's authors are recommending that more is done to motivate their use. Safety experts are asking for increased education on e-scooter safety and helmet use. 

Nikan K. Namiri, a study co-author, said that there is a correlation between a helmet and a lower risk of head injury. E-scooter manufacturers and rideshare companies should require helmet use and make helmets more accessible. Some safety advocates believe e-scooters should be banned. 

Did you or a member of your family sustain an injury in an e-scooter accident? 

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Source:

https://www.consumerreports.org/electric-scooters/e-scooter-injuries-continue-to-climb/