A study led by researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) shows that scooter-related hospitalizations surpassed bike-related cases in 2020, with over 50% requiring surgery.
The research, titled "National Trends and Clinical Outcomes after Scooter Injury in the US: 2016-2020" published in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American College of Surgeons, highlights a threefold increase in scooter injuries nationwide from 2016 to 2020, revealing a rise in severe injuries demanding orthopedic and plastic surgery.
Rising Scooter Injuries Prompt Urgent Call for Enhanced Safety Measures
Lead author Nam Yong Cho, a third-year medical student at UCLA, emphasized the need to enhance safety standards for scooter riders due to the increasing hospitalizations and major operations for scooter-related injuries. Cho also stressed the importance of advocating for improved infrastructure, including enforced speed limits and dedicated lanes, to minimize risks for various road users.
Using the 2016-2020 National Inpatient Sample, researchers affiliated with the UCLA Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories compared trends and outcomes for scooter-related and bicycle-related injuries.
The database, however, doesn't distinguish between electric and non-electric scooters. Out of nearly 93,000 hospitalized injury patients, around 6,100 (6.6%) were attributed to scooter injuries. The scooter cohort had a higher percentage of individuals under age 18 (27%) compared to the bicycle group (16%).
Injuries were more frequent in winter months, and scooter-related hospitalizations led to more major operative interventions (55.8%), including orthopedic and plastic surgery, compared to bicycle injuries (48.1%). Scooter riders faced higher odds of long bone fractures and paralysis, with both groups similarly prone to traumatic brain injuries.
The annual healthcare burden for treating scooter-related injuries increased from $6.6 million in 2016 to $35.5 million in 2020, while bicycle injuries rose from $307 million to $434 million.
The study, limited by factors like incomplete data on helmet use and the type of scooter or bicycle models involved, highlights a concerning surge in patient injuries, hospitalizations, and financial strain, emphasizing the urgency for healthcare leaders to promote scooter-related injury prevention and community safety.
READ ALSO : E-Scooters: Are They Bad for the Environment?
E-Scooter Growth: Safety Challenges and Urgent Measures
E-scooters, distinct from traditional kick scooters, feature motors and brakes, reaching speeds up to 15-16 mph, gaining popularity since 2018. Market growth is substantial, expected to reach $33.2 billion in 2022 and foreseeing an annual 10% increase until 2030, notes Grand View Research.
Age requirements for e-scooters vary. Some states impose a minimum age of 16, while others, like Washington and Colorado, lack age restrictions. Despite the variance, both e-scooter and bicycle injuries saw a substantial increase in total annual costs, rising from $6.6 million in 2016 to $35.5 million in 2020, according to a study.
Safety precautions are crucial for injury prevention, with a 2022 study revealing 87% of children experiencing skull fractures on e-scooters were not wearing helmets.
Nam Yong Cho pointed out the importance of measures like enforced speed limits and dedicated lanes to minimize risks to riders, pedestrians, and vehicles. Their study links the surge in e-scooter injuries with their prevalence on college campuses, predominantly affecting young men.
Tragic incidents emphasize the gravity of e-scooter injuries; a New York father passed away due to brain injuries 11 days post a December 2023 crash, underscoring the urgent requirement for improved safety measures and increased awareness.
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