The Incidence and Severity of Pediatric Injuries Sustained by Electric Bikes and Powered Scooters: The Experience of an Urban, Tertiary Pediatric Emergency Department

Seraj Moati, Oren Tavor, Tali Capua, Igor Sukhotnik, Miguel Glatstein, Ayelet Rimon, Neta Cohen*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to describe the incidence and severity of electrical bicycle (E-bike)- and power scooter (P-scooter)-related injuries and their secular trends among pediatric patients presenting to a pediatric emergency department (ED). Methods This retrospective cohort study of patients aged <18 years who sustained E-bike and P-scooter injuries was performed between 2018 and 2023. We explored trends of severe trauma cases, ED visits, hospitalizations, and surgical interventions. Severity of trauma was rated by either an injury severity score (ISS) of >15 or the patient's need for acute care as defined by intensive care unit (ICU) admission, direct disposition to the operating room, acute interventions performed in the trauma room, and in-hospital death. Results Of the 1466 pediatric patients who presented to our pediatric ED following P-scooter and E-bike injuries, 216 (14.7%) were hospitalized, with a median age of 14.0 years (interquartile range, 10.5-16.0 years) and male predominance (69.0%). The number of ED visits increased 3.5-fold by study closure, with a parallel increase in hospitalizations, surgical interventions, and severe trauma cases. The relative percentages of severe trauma cases were not significantly different over time. Among hospitalized patients, 3 patients (1.4%) died and 9 (4.1%) required rehabilitation care. Conclusions The incidence and severity of E-bike and P-scooter injuries and fatalities continue to increase within the pediatric population. Current personal and road safety regulations are providing inadequate in preventing these injuries, highlighting an urgent need for revision and stricter enforcement.

Original languageEnglish
Article number10.1097/PEC.0000000000003258
JournalPediatric Emergency Care
DOIs
StateAccepted/In press - 2024
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Adolescents
  • mortality
  • P-scooter and E-bike injuries
  • Passengers
  • Pedestrians
  • Rehabilitation
  • Riders
  • severe trauma

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