Children as young as nine hurt in growing number of e-scooter crashes

Key Points:

• Three trauma centres in Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield have treated 477 children under 16 for e-scooter injuries since 2019, with cases rising from fewer than 10 in 2019 to nearly 150 in 2024.
• The average age of injured children is 12, with most not wearing helmets, and the majority of injuries resulting from falls or collisions, often involving private e-scooters used illegally on public roads and pavements.
• Emergency doctors and police officials warn that e-scooters are not harmless toys and are calling for stricter laws, including mandatory helmet use, speed limits, and age restrictions to better protect children.
• A recent tragic incident involved a teenager driving an e-scooter who crashed, causing the death of his 14-year-old passenger and serious injuries to both, highlighting the potential severity of e-scooter accidents.
• Currently, UK law lacks restrictions on private e-scooter use, unlike rental e-scooters which require users to be 16 or older with a driving licence, and the government acknowledges the concerns raised by these injury reports.