E-scooter, e-bike injuries increased 21% in 2022

E-scooter, e-bike injuries overview: 

• Who: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released a report on e-bike, e-scooter and electric mobility device injuries.
• Why: E-scooter and e-bike injuries went up 21% from 2021 to 2022 and have trended up by an average of 23% annually since 2017.
• Where: E-bike and e-scooter injuries have occurred across the United States.

Injuries on e-bikes, e-scooters and hoverboards were up 21% between 2021 and 2022, according to a new report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Those injuries were also up an average of 23% each year since 2017, the report says.

The CPSC so far counts 233 deaths related to micromobility devices between 2017 and 2022, although the agency said it is still accumulating data and there may have been even more deaths than that.

The injury data was extrapolated from a representative sample across U.S. hospitals that showed e-scooter injuries went up 22% between 2021 and 2022.

Hoverboard injuries, meanwhile, went down by 26% from 2021 to 2022. E-bike injuries went up significantly in 2022, with 46% of the injuries over the span between 2017 and 2022 happening in 2022.

“Always wear a bicycle helmet when riding to protect your head in a fall,” the CPSC recommended in a news release about the report. “Before riding, make sure to check for any damage, which includes examining the handlebars, brakes, throttle, bell, lights, tires, cables and frame.”

Children age 14 and younger suffered about 36% of micromobility injuries between 2017 and 2022 — double their proportion of the overall population, the release said.

Electric micromobility devices led to more than 360K ER visits, report says

There were approximately 360,800 emergency department visits related to the electric devices from 2017 through 2022. Fractures were the leading type of injury, followed by contusions and abrasions. Upper and lower limbs were the most frequently injured body parts.

There have also been a number of deaths related to micromobility device fires in recent years. 

“CPSC called on more than 2,000 manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers of e-scooters, self-balancing scooters (often referred to as hoverboards), e-bicycles and e-unicycles to review their product lines and ensure they comply with established voluntary safety standards to reduce the serious risk of dangerous fires with these products or face possible enforcement action,” according to the CPSC news release.

In other micromobility news, Lectric Ebikes announced a recall last month for 45,000 of its e-bicycles due to failing mechanical disc brake calipers on both the front and back of the bike.

Have you been injured riding an e-bike, e-scooter or electric mobility device? Let us know in the comments. 

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