Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 May 22;9(5):1569.
doi: 10.3390/jcm9051569.

Characteristics and Injury Patterns in Electric-Scooter Related Accidents-A Prospective Two-Center Report from Germany

Philipp Störmann  1 , Alexander Klug  2 , Christoph Nau  1 , René D Verboket  1 , Max Leiblein  1 , Daniel Müller  1 , Uwe Schweigkofler  2 , Reinhard Hoffmann  2 , Ingo Marzi  1 , Thomas Lustenberger  1
Affiliations

Characteristics and Injury Patterns in Electric-Scooter Related Accidents-A Prospective Two-Center Report from Germany

Philipp Störmann et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Since the introduction of rental E-scooters in Germany in mid-June 2019, the safety of this new means of transport has been the subject of extensive public debate. However, valid data on injuries and usage habits are not yet available. This retrospective two-center study included a total of 76 patients who presented to the emergency department following E-scooter-related accidents. The mean age was 34.3 ± 12.4 years and 69.7% of the patients were male. About half of the patients were admitted by ambulance (42.1%). Fractures were found in 48.6% of patients, and 27.6% required surgical treatment due to a fracture. The upper extremities were the most commonly affected body region, followed by injuries to the lower extremity and to the head and face. Only one patient had worn a helmet. In-hospital treatment was necessary for 26.3% of the cases. Patients presented to the emergency department mainly during the weekend and on-call times. This is the first report on E-scooter-related injuries in Germany. Accidents with E-scooters can cause serious injuries and, therefore, represent a further burden to emergency departments. The use of E-scooters appears to be mostly recreational, and the rate of use of protective gear is low.

Keywords: dislocation; e-scooter; electric scooter; fracture; traffic accident; transportation; traumatic brain injury.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The highest number of accidents was registered during the summer months. In March 2020, it should be noted that initial restrictions were imposed by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Furthermore, mean hours of sun per month as well as rain days per month are depicted.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Number of presentations by day. By far the most patients were treated on Saturday.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Time dependent presentation of patients after e-scooter accidents. Most patient contacts were registered during on-call time.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Badeau A., Carman C., Newman M., Steenblik J., Carlson M., Madsen T. Emergency department visits for electric scooter-related injuries after introduction of an urban rental program. Am. J. Emerg. Med. 2019;37:1531–1533. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2019.05.003. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Trivedi T.K., Liu C., Antonio A.L.M., Wheaton N., Kreger V., Yap A., Schriger D., Elmore J.G. Injuries Associated With Standing Electric Scooter Use. JAMA Netw. Open. 2019;2:e187381. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.7381. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Trivedi B., Kesterke M.J., Bhattacharjee R., Weber W., Mynar K., Reddy L.V. Craniofacial Injuries Seen With the Introduction of Bicycle-Share Electric Scooters in an Urban Setting. J. Oral. Maxillofac. Surg. 2019;77:2292–2297. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2019.07.014. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ishmael C.R., Hsiue P.P., Zoller S.D., Wang P., Hori K.R., Gatto J.D., Li R., Jeffcoat D.M., Johnson E.E., Bernthal N.M. An Early Look at Operative Orthopaedic Injuries Associated with Electric Scooter Accidents: Bringing High-Energy Trauma to a Wider Audience. J. Bone Joint Surg. Am. 2020;102:e18. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.19.00390. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Mayhew L.J., Bergin C. Impact of e-scooter injuries on Emergency Department imaging. J. Med. Imaging Radiat. Oncol. 2019;63:461–466. doi: 10.1111/1754-9485.12889. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources