Study reveals racial and ethnic disparities in pediatric e-scooter injuries

As electric scooters (e-scooters) become more available in cities and urban areas, injuries are becoming more common - especially among teenage boys. This is among the findings from a new study using a national database of e-scooter injuries, which also found racial and ethnic disparities among those injured. 

Led by childhood injury experts at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, the study shows children accounted for more than 45% of e-scooter related injuries, including head injuries, traumatic brain injuries and broken bones. 

The study's findings were published March 26 in the journal Injury. 

To examine whether factors including race or ethnicity were associated with injury, Johns Hopkins Children's Center experts looked at data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), a program overseen by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which captures data from a nationally representative sample of U.S. emergency departments. From 2020–24, there were 2,117 recorded pediatric e-scooter injuries in the dataset. Boys under the age of 18 made up 70.7% of cases. Children ages 11 to 14 accounted for 38.3% of cases. 

Males are consistently at higher risk of both minor and major injuries, including head injuries and traumatic brain injuries. This likely reflects a mix of behavioral and social factors, including greater risk-taking and lower use of protective equipment like helmets."

Mary Beth Howard, M.D., M.S., pediatric emergency medicine physician at the Children's Center

"Younger adolescents have less-developed motor skills, poorer judgment and limited experience with traffic and road safety, making them more susceptible to injuries," adds Howard. 

Furthermore, she says, risk-taking behaviors and peer influence are heightened in early adolescence, further putting this age group at a particularly high risk of injury. 

The researchers found that Black and Hispanic children saw the highest rates of injury, at 16% and 15.7%, respectively, from 2020 to 2024. They also found that Black and Hispanic children represented a greater share of e-scooter injuries compared with their representation in other types of unintentional injuries, such as accidents involving electric bikes, conventional bikes, skateboards and hoverboards. 

Notably, the researchers report, their analysis found that Black and Hispanic children, while harmed more often, did not have a higher rate of severe injury or hospitalization compared with other racial and ethnic groups. Moreover, they said, most accidents resulted in musculoskeletal or soft tissue injuries including dislocations, fractures and abrasions. A smaller proportion involved internal organ injuries (13%) or head injuries, including concussions (4%). 

The research team cautions that their analysis did not account for injuries treated in urgent cares or non-emergency settings, but say their findings do advance understanding of the impact of e-scooters' rising use. 

The findings, the investigators say, should also inform health care providers and policymakers about where to put additional educational and safety resources related to the use of e-scooters. They say preventing these injuries requires a combination of education, policy changes and environmental improvements. Among other recommendations, the researchers urge policies that require or recommend that all children, no matter the age, wear a helmet when operating or riding on an electric scooter. 

Howard notes that local speed limits on roads and paths shared by pedestrians and cyclists have been associated with reduced injury severity.Similarly, she says speed limit legislation specifically for e-scooters could lead to a significant reduction in injury incidence, according to results of previous international studies. 

Creating safe, dedicated spaces for riding, such as protected lanes or recreational paths separate from street traffic, may further reduce injury risk, she says, especially in lower-income neighborhoods, where limited access to safe play areas and well-maintained streets may contribute to higher rates of e-scooter injuries. 

Other authors in this study include Joanna Cohen and Laura Pritchett with Johns Hopkins.

This study was funded by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.