Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026
A Pediatric Concussion Model in Mice: Closed Head Injury with Long-Term Disorders (CHILD)
Published on: February 7, 2025
Electric-Scooters: An Emerging Source of High-Severity Pediatric Head Trauma
Pierre Petitet1,2,3, Alessandra Musarra1, Camilla de Laurentis1,2
1Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Université de Lyon, Bron , France.
Insights
Electric scooter (ES) head trauma (HT) in children is rising, with severe injuries comparable to motorbikes. Prevention strategies like helmet use and age limits are crucial for child safety.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Trauma Research
- Public Health
Background:
- Electric scooters (ES) are increasingly popular among French children and adolescents.
- Little is known about the impact of ES on pediatric head trauma (HT) incidence and severity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the incidence and severity of pediatric head trauma (HT) related to electric scooters (ES).
- To compare ES-related HT with trauma from non-motorized two-wheeled vehicles (NMTV) and motorbikes.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of pediatric patients (2-18 years) admitted for HT from 2021-2025.
- Collected data on demographics, accident characteristics, helmet use, injury severity, and outcomes.
- Assessed injury severity using a multivariate model and conducted follow-up interviews for functional outcomes.
Main Results:
- ES-related HT cases increased significantly from 2021 to 2025.
- Nearly half of injured ES riders were underage, with rare helmet use.
- ES-related HT severity was comparable to motorbike accidents, with 5 patients requiring surgery.
Conclusions:
- Electric scooters (ES) represent a high-severity mechanism for pediatric head trauma (HT).
- Enhanced prevention strategies, including helmet enforcement and age regulation, are urgently needed for child safety.
Background And Objectives:
Electric scooters (ES) have become increasingly popular among children and adolescents in France. To date, very little is known about their impact on the incidence and severity of pediatric head trauma (HT).
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective single-center study of patients aged 2 to 18 years admitted to a pediatric neurosurgery ward between 2021 and 2025 for HT related to ES, nonmotorized two-wheeled vehicles (bicycles, kick-scooters; NMTV), or motorbikes. Demographics, accident characteristics, helmet use, clinical and radiological severity, neurosurgical management, hospital course, and need for rehabilitation were collected. Injury severity was assessed using a multivariate model combining neurological, radiological, and in-hospital outcomes. A follow-up phone interview was conducted in a subset of ES patients to assess long-term functional outcome and postinjury behavior regarding mobility habits.
Results:
ES-related HT rose from 1 case in 2021 to 25 in 2025, whereas the number of HT related to NMTV and motorbikes remained stable. Nearly half of injured ES riders were below the legal age, and helmet use was rare. The severity profile of ES-related HT was greater than that of bicycle and kick-scooter accidents, and comparable to that of motorbike accidents. Five ES patients required surgical intervention, most commonly for epidural hematoma evacuation. At follow-up, most patients had favorable functional outcomes, but nearly one-third experienced persistent disability, and helmet adoption after injury remained limited.
Conclusion:
ES have emerged as a high-severity mechanism of pediatric HT, comparable to motorbikes. Enhanced prevention strategies, including helmet enforcement, and age regulation, are urgently needed.
More Related Videos
07:02An Investigation of the Effects of Sports-related Concussion in Youth Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and the Head Impact Telemetry System
Published on: January 12, 2011
09:49Assessing Changes in Synaptic Plasticity Using an Awake Closed-Head Injury Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: January 20, 2023