German youth face rising E‑scooter accident risk

E‑scooter accidents in Germany have surged, with police reporting almost 16,500 incidents in the past year – a 38 % increase over the previous year. The majority of victims are teenagers, especially those aged 15‑17, and more than half of all injured are under 25. Studies from the UK and British researchers show E‑scooter riders suffer head injuries 3.5 times more often than motorcyclists, yet only about 6 % wear helmets. German experts such as mobility researcher Sören Groth and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kinder‑ und Jugendchirurgie (DGKJCH) call for stricter safety measures, including a mandatory helmet law and tighter age restrictions. Recent police incidents in Bochum, Achern and Wilhelmshaven, where children were seriously injured after losing control of E‑scooters, underscore the urgency of the issue. Authorities urge parents to enforce the legal minimum age of 14 and recommend helmets, while policymakers debate additional regulations.