Head Injuries on the Rise with E-Scooters
The popular electric scooters you’ve seen buzzing around our city are rapidly becoming a desired mode of transportation for many. However, with the increase of e-scooter use, there comes more concerns over safety; many people riding them are ending up in the emergency room with injuries.
A recent study from the Texas A&M College of Dentistry found that 60% of patients who visited the emergency room between July 2018 (when e-scooters became available in the area) to February 2019 had head and face injuries. Results showed that 52 of the 90 patients who went to emergency departments with e-scooter related injuries experienced injuries to their head and face, 58% were considered severe.
Approximately 20% of all scooter-related trauma admissions involved alcohol use and no riders reported wearing helmets, although e-scooter rental companies make users sign disclosures requiring them to wear protective gear and refrain from drinking alcohol.*
Many cities, such as our own, are working to upgrade areas for bikers and increase safety for all. Some of those efforts include investing in bikeway infrastructure (especially downtown), increasing efforts to ensure safer bike lanes by adding more paint, and encouraging riders to adhere to all of the biking laws and regulations.
*You can read more about this study in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
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