UK study finds e‑scooters pose higher risk of serious injuries than motorcycles
A research team led by trauma surgeon David Bodansky analysed data from the National Major Trauma Registry for 18 cities in England and Wales between 2020 and 2022. The dataset included 15,247 patients with moderate‑to‑severe injuries, of which 580 were e‑scooter riders, compared with more than 7,000 motorcyclists and 7,740 cyclists.
The analysis showed e‑scooter riders were about 3.5 times more likely to sustain a traumatic brain injury, 1.5 times more likely to suffer internal‑organ damage and 3.2 times more likely to incur arterial or venous injuries than motorcyclists. Risks were also higher than for cyclists (approximately 1.7‑fold for brain, 1.4‑fold for organs and 1.7‑fold for vessels). Fracture risk was lower for e‑scooter users.
Helmet use was recorded in only 5.9 % of e‑scooter cases, versus roughly 75 % of motorcyclists and 45 % of cyclists. Women accounted for about one‑third of collisions and were more than twice as likely to sustain severe injuries; children under 18 made up 16 % of e‑scooter injuries. The study, published in *Scientific Reports*, called for policies such as mandatory helmets, safety training, and design changes to improve stability.
E‑scooters are available through government‑run rental trials in several UK cities, but private e‑scooters remain illegal on public roads, leading to police confiscations of thousands of units.
Entities
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust · David Bodansky · Department for Transport · Department for Transport (UK) · England · National Major Trauma Registry · The Guardian · UK Government · Wales
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 7 SOURCES] The analysis covered 15,247 trauma patients, including 580 e‑scooter riders, from 18 cities in England and Wales between 2020 and 2022. www.standard.co.uk · www.aftonbladet.se · www.hd.se · zoom.mk · www.theguardian.com · +2 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] E‑scooter riders have a 3.5 × higher risk of traumatic brain injury compared with motorcyclists. www.standard.co.uk · www.aftonbladet.se · www.hd.se · zoom.mk · www.theguardian.com · +2 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] E‑scooter riders have a 1.5 × higher risk of internal‑organ injury compared with motorcyclists. www.standard.co.uk · www.aftonbladet.se · www.hd.se · zoom.mk · www.theguardian.com · +2 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] E‑scooter riders have a 3.2 × higher risk of arterial/venous injury compared with motorcyclists. www.standard.co.uk · www.aftonbladet.se · www.hd.se · zoom.mk · www.theguardian.com · +2 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] Helmet use was recorded in only about 6 % of e‑scooter riders involved in the study. www.standard.co.uk · www.aftonbladet.se · www.hd.se · zoom.mk · www.theguardian.com · +2 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] Women e‑scooter riders were about 2.1 × more likely than men to sustain severe injuries. www.standard.co.uk · www.aftonbladet.se · www.hd.se · zoom.mk · www.theguardian.com · +2 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] Children under 18 accounted for 16 % of e‑scooter injuries in the dataset. www.standard.co.uk · www.aftonbladet.se · www.hd.se · zoom.mk · www.theguardian.com · +2 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] Compared with cyclists, e‑scooter riders have about 1.7 × higher risk of traumatic brain injury, 1.4 × higher risk of internal‑organ injury, and 1.7 × higher risk of vascular injury. www.standard.co.uk · www.aftonbladet.se · www.hd.se · zoom.mk · www.theguardian.com · +2 more