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E-Scooters Aren't Toys: Serious Injuries & Deaths Rise
16 Sep
Summary
- Hospitalizations for e-scooter use increased by 40 percent recently.
- Injuries to children under 15 nearly tripled, with some fatalities.
- E-scooters are high-speed motor vehicles, not toys, experts warn.
Recent statistics reveal a concerning 40 percent rise in hospitalizations linked to e-scooter use, with the number of children under 15 sustaining serious injuries nearly tripling. Tragically, 10 children died in 2025 while using e-scooters or e-bikes, underscoring the severity of the issue. Dr. Daniel Rosenfield from The Hospital for Sick Children warns that preteen boys, aged 10 to 12, are particularly vulnerable due to their lack of road awareness and understanding of these powerful devices.
Further compounding safety concerns, new testing by Consumer Reports indicates that the average top speed of e-scooters has climbed from 25 km/h in 2022 to 32 km/h in 2026, making them more difficult to manage and prone to crashes. Even adult researchers have been injured during testing due to loss of control, especially during braking. Experts stress that e-scooters are high-speed motor vehicles, not toys, and recommend essential safety gear, including properly fitted helmets, to mitigate the risk of devastating traumatic brain injuries.
