Analysis reveals sharp increase in e-bike, scooter injuries

Key takeaways:

• E-bicycle injuries increased by almost 100% annually from 2017 to 2022.
• Researchers reported significantly more electric vehicle injuries among Black riders.

Electronic scooter and bicycle injuries increased significantly from 2017 to 2022, study findings published in JAMA Network Open showed.

Results of the cross-sectional analysis are consistent with those of previous studies, which reported that e-scooter injuries and related hospitalizations rose significantly among youth over the past decade.

“It is important for health care professionals to educate their patients on the potential risks and benefits of micromobility, emphasizing safety measures to mitigate injury risks,” Kevin D. Li, BS, from the department of urology at the University of California, San Francisco, told Healio.

E-scooter and e-bicycle ridership has soared in recent years, according to background information provided by Li and colleagues.

“With electric-powered motor assistance, e-scooter and e-bicycle riders can cover more distance with less effort, lowering transportation and exercise barriers for less-fit individuals,” they wrote.

There are still concerns regarding injury risk to electronic vehicle riders despite the benefits, study investigators added.

“There is a paucity of data regarding the public health impact of these transportation sector change[s],” they wrote. Li and colleagues assessed recent injury trends among micromobility riders over the past several years using National Electronic Injury Surveillance System data from 2017 to 2022. The analysis included injuries sustained by bicycle, scooter, e-bicycle and e-scooter riders.

Results of the analysis revealed 2,499,843 bicycle injuries, 304,783 scooter injuries, 45,586 e-bicycle injuries and 189,517 e-scooter injuries during the study period.

Injured riders had a mean age of 28 years, were 72% men and were 49% white.

E-bicycle injuries increased by more than 99% annually, from 751 in 2017 to 23,493 in 2022.

The researchers added that e-scooter injuries increased by over 45% annually, from 8,566 in 2017 to 56,847 in 2022.

Significantly more electric vehicle accidents occurred among older adults (mean age, 31 vs. 27 years), Black riders (25% vs. 12%) and in urban areas (83% vs. 71%) compared with conventional vehicle accidents, according to the researchers’’ analysis.

Electric vehicle accidents occurred more frequently among those who did not wear a helmet compared with conventional vehicle accidents (43% vs. 52%).

The odds for hospitalization did not change significantly among electric vehicle riders from 2017 to 2022, whereas Black riders across all vehicle types had 24% lower odds of hospitalization compared with white riders (adjusted OR = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.59-0.98).

The “puzzling” finding of lower odds for hospitalization among Black riders “warrants further investigation to understand the underlying reasons,” Li told Healio.

Head injuries (aOR = 1.2; 95% CI, 1.03-1.41), alcohol use (aOR = 1.71; 95% CI, 1.37-2.13) and drug use (aOR = 2.7; 95% CI, 2.26-3.23) at the time of injury were also all associated with hospitalization among all types of vehicles.

The significant increases in e-scooter and e-bicycle injuries “most likely reflects the growing popularity of these vehicles,” according to Li and colleagues.

“Shareable micromobility platforms have expanded greatly across the United States over this time period, increasing micromobility availability in cities,” they wrote.

Li highlighted several possible strategies and policy changes for preventing injuries and improving safety.

“Promoting helmet use and addressing risky behaviors like riding under the influence of alcohol are essential steps in reducing micromobility-related injuries,” he said. “Improving urban infrastructure to create safer environments for riders is equally important.”

Health care providers “should encourage the use of helmets, adherence to traffic laws, and heightened awareness of surroundings,” Li added “When used responsibly and supported by appropriate infrastructure, e-vehicles can offer a convenient and effective means of transportation and exercise.”