Toronto children see surge in serious e‑scooter injuries

Doctors at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) say the number of children seriously injured in e‑scooter crashes has risen exponentially, doubling each year and reaching a “tipping point” in 2024. The hospital now treats three to five e‑scooter injuries per week, many of which involve head, thoracic, spinal and abdominal trauma as well as complex fractures.

Dr. Suzanne Beno, a pediatric emergency physician, noted, “It’s been exponential really.” Radiologist Dr. Carolyn Rutten added that such cases are “almost daily” during the summer, and the fractures are often more severely displaced than typical playground injuries. The centre is also seeing an increase in traumatic brain injuries, sometimes requiring surgeons to remove part of the skull. Dr. Joshua Ramjist said the injury patterns resemble those of high‑speed motor‑vehicle accidents, often leading to multiple surgeries, intensive‑care stays and prolonged rehabilitation.