Emergency room visits for micromobility devices surpassed 135,000 recently. A sharp 450 percent rise in e-scooter injuries over five years underscores the real-world risks of brake failures, curb strikes, and alcohol impairment.
Key Takeaways
- 80% of e-scooter fatal accidents involve a motor vehicle collision
- Alcohol consumption was present in 33% of riders presenting to the ER with scooter injuries
- Surface irregularities like potholes cause 10% of all scooter falls
- Less than 1% of injured e-scooter riders were wearing a helmet at the time of the accident
- Male riders account for 60% of all e-scooter related injury admissions
- The median age of injured e-scooter riders is 34 years old
- Average cost of a single e-scooter trauma hospitalization is $1,649 in California
- Hospitalization rates for e-scooter injuries increased by 175% between 2014 and 2018
- Direct medical costs for scooter injuries reached $400 million in 2022
- Head injuries account for approximately 28% of all electric scooter injuries
- Approximately 45% of injured e-scooter riders sustained a traumatic brain injury
- Fractures represent 27% of all reported e-scooter injuries in urban study areas
- In 2022 there were an estimated 135,500 emergency room visits related to micromobility devices in the US
- The number of e-scooter injuries increased by 22% between 2021 and 2022
- E-scooter injuries rose by 450% between 2017 and 2022 across the United States
Most e-scooter injuries involve road crashes with distracted riders, high speeding, and lack of helmet use.
Related reading
01 · Category
Accident Causes and Mechanics30 stats
01
80% of e-scooter fatal accidents involve a motor vehicle collision
02
Alcohol consumption was present in 33% of riders presenting to the ER with scooter injuries
03
Surface irregularities like potholes cause 10% of all scooter falls
04
33% of riders reported mechanical failure before their injury
05
8% of incidents occur on sidewalks despite city bans
06
18% of injuries involve multiple people on one scooter
07
30% of scooter accidents involve a Curb-strike mechanism
08
Nighttime riding accounts for 37% of all scooter accidents
09
Loss of control is the cited cause in 60% of single-vehicle e-scooter crashes
10
25% of incidents involved malfunctioning brakes
11
Collision with a stationary object represents 16% of cases
12
22% of riders were using mobile phones during the incident
13
55% of e-scooter injuries happen on the road
14
48% of injuries involve "skidding" on wet or sandy pavement
15
4% of accidents involve a technical software glitch
16
92% of fatal e-scooter accidents happen on urban collector roads
17
14% of accidents occur when yielding to pedestrians
18
19% of crashes involve striking a parked car
19
35% of riders admit to speeding above 15mph during accident
20
Steering column failure accounts for 7% of mechanical injuries
21
Turning maneuvers lead to 24% of balance loss accidents
22
Collision with a moving vehicle is the leading cause of death (30%)
23
Wet leaves/debris represent 5% of environmental crash factors
24
Downhill segments increase crash risk by 12%
25
9% of accidents are caused by tire blowouts
26
Speed over 15 mph is documented in 30% of severe collisions
27
13% of accidents involve the rider hitting a curb while distracted
28
Low tire pressure contributed to 3% of recorded falls
29
17% of crashes occur at intersections with stop signs
30
6% of accidents were caused by excessive speed on sidewalks
Interpretation
Accident Causes and Mechanics Interpretation
The sobering reality of e-scooter safety is a chaotic tapestry where a rider's risky choice to speed while distracted on a wet road often meets the unforgiving physics of a pothole, a parked car, or tragically, moving traffic.
02 · Category
Demographics and Risk Factors29 stats
01
Less than 1% of injured e-scooter riders were wearing a helmet at the time of the accident
02
Male riders account for 60% of all e-scooter related injury admissions
03
The median age of injured e-scooter riders is 34 years old
04
11% of injured riders were under the age of 18
05
29% of injured riders were first-time users of e-scooters
06
Non-helmeted riders have a 3x higher risk of intracranial hemorrhage
07
Female e-scooter riders are more likely to suffer wrist fractures than males
08
2% of injured individuals were pedestrians struck by a scooter
09
40% of injuries occurred during the rider's first 10 trips
10
Over 90% of facial injuries were in non-helmeted riders
11
62% of riders believe helmet laws are not enforced
12
3% of riders were carrying an heavy object while riding
13
70% of injured riders were white in a 2018 study
14
Median income of injured riders is $75k+
15
Average age of female injured riders is lower than male (30 vs 36)
16
40% of riders were unaware of the local scooter laws
17
75% of riders used the scooter for commuting during injury
18
Only 4% of injured riders were helmet-compliant in San Francisco
19
10% of injured riders were tourists visiting the city
20
58% of injured riders had no health insurance
21
27% of victims reported they were riding against traffic flow
22
Peak injury day is Saturday across all recorded metrics
23
22% of riders had consumed illicit drugs prior to injury
24
Students represent 15% of the total injured population
25
8% of riders were carrying a passenger on the footboard
26
85% of injured riders were not wearing reflective clothing at night
27
42% of injured individuals reported using a rental app
28
5% of injured riders are over the age of 65
29
72% of riders had no helmet training or safety education
Interpretation
Demographics and Risk Factors Interpretation
It appears that the typical e-scooter injury patient is a helmetless, overconfident male in his mid-thirties who is likely commuting on a rental, thinks the rules don't apply to him, and is statistically guaranteed to learn a very expensive lesson on a Saturday.
03 · Category
Economic and Healthcare Impact28 stats
01
Average cost of a single e-scooter trauma hospitalization is $1,649in California
02
Hospitalization rates for e-scooter injuries increased by 175% between 2014 and 2018
03
Direct medical costs for scooter injuries reached $400 million in 2022
04
15% of scooter-related ED visits require surgical intervention
05
5% of e-scooter injuries result in permanent disability
06
Average hospital stay for a scooter-related fracture is 2.3 days
07
Rehabilitation costs account for 10% of total healthcare expenditure on scooters
08
7% of injured riders require an ambulance for transport to the ED
09
Work loss productivity for scooter injuries is valued at $50 million annually
10
Orthopedic surgery is the most frequent surgical specialty utilized
11
Public health insurance covers 31% of e-scooter injury patients
12
Average repair cost of a damaged rental scooter after a crash is $250
13
6% of all trauma cases at level 1 centers are currently micromobility related
14
Long-term physical therapy is required by 12% of patients
15
Out-of-pocket medical costs average $900for minor scooter injuries
16
Post-traumatic stress symptoms noted in 5% of severe crash survivors
17
Liability claims against scooter companies average $25,000per trial
18
Pharmacy expenses for pain management average $120post-discharge
19
Inpatient hospital charges exceed $30,000for critical trauma
20
Follow-up visits are required by 60% of fracture patients
21
Imaging (CT/X-ray) is used in 84% of e-scooter ED presentations
22
Cost of assistive device (crutches/slings) totals $2M annually
23
Administrative insurance processing time for claims averages 4 months
24
Medicaid covers 22% of pediatric e-scooter hospitalizations
25
Emergency department lab tests average $450per patient
26
Insurance co-pays average $250for urgent care visits
27
Professional lost wages for a major fracture average $4,200
28
Total cost to cities for sidewalk repair from scooter use is $1M/yr
Interpretation
Economic and Healthcare Impact Interpretation
For the price of a trendy commute, e-scooters are generating a sobering public health bill measured in millions of dollars, permanent disabilities, and overwhelmed trauma centers.
More related reading
04 · Category
Injury Types and Severity30 stats
01
Head injuries account for approximately 28% of all electric scooter injuries
02
Approximately 45% of injured e-scooter riders sustained a traumatic brain injury
03
Fractures represent 27% of all reported e-scooter injuries in urban study areas
04
Lower extremity injuries make up 25.1% of e-scooter related presentations
05
Upper extremity injuries make up 40.2% of e-scooter related presentations
06
Facial fractures occurred in 10% of trauma-related scooter admissions
07
65% of scooter deaths involve head trauma
08
Soft tissue injuries denote 48% of all pediatric scooter accidents
09
Lacerations make up 20% of the minor injury category
10
12% of patients require ophthalmology consults for ocular trauma
11
Rib fractures occur in 5% of trauma-level scooter crashes
12
Injuries to the spleen or liver occur in 1% of serious crashes
13
Pediatric injuries are 2.5 times more likely to involve a fracture
14
Dental injuries occur in 4% of all facial trauma cases
15
Elbow fractures represent 15% of all e-scooter upper limb breaks
16
20% of scooter accidents result in a concussion
17
Intracranial hemorrhage occurs in 2% of total injuries
18
Spinal injuries account for 1% of total trauma e-scooter cases
19
Dislocated joints account for 3% of injuries
20
Abrasions make up 50% of documented minor skin injuries
21
Internal bleeding was diagnosed in 1.5% of e-scooter ER visits
22
Forearm fractures are the most common individual bone break (10%)
23
Nasal fractures represent 3% of facial injures
24
Hand injuries comprise 14% of upper extremity trauma
25
20% of brain injuries involve subarachnoid hemorrhage
26
Ankle sprains make up 12% of lower extremity injuries
27
Knee injuries (ligament tears) occur in 6% of cases
28
Scars requiring plastic surgery appear in 2% of facial injuries
29
Skull fractures account for 5% of head injury admissions
30
Maxillofacial trauma is present in 1 in 10 trauma activations
Interpretation
Injury Types and Severity Interpretation
While the electric scooter offers a breezy shortcut through city life, the alarming prevalence of head injuries and fractures suggests your brain and bones are paying a rather steep toll for the convenience.
05 · Category
Prevalence and Trends27 stats
01
In 2022 there were an estimated 135,500 emergency room visits related to micromobility devices in the US
02
The number of e-scooter injuries increased by 22% between 2021 and 2022
03
E-scooter injuries rose by 450% between 2017 and 2022 across the United States
04
Injuries peak during weekend nights between 9 PM and 2 AM
05
The estimated annual growth rate of e-scooter ER visits is 20%
06
Total mobility deaths reached 233 in the six-year period 2017-2022
07
50% of the increase in injuries occurred in the 18-34 age group
08
Average age of fatal accident victims is 41
09
Injuries in July and August are 4x higher than in January
10
The mortality rate for scooter accidents is approx 0.05 per 1 million trips
11
38% increase in e-bike and e-scooter injuries for 2023 projected
12
Injury rates are 200 per 100,000 trips in major cities
13
E-scooter fires from batteries caused 200+ injuries in 2022
14
Estimated 50,000 e-scooter injuries annually in the US by 2025
15
1.2% of injuries resulted from battery explosions in 2021
16
There was a 70% increase in scooter injuries in older adults (65+)
17
Cumulative injury count reached 360,000 from 2017 to 2022
18
Electric scooter ED visits grew faster than bicycle ED visits
19
Summer months account for 45% of total annual scooter injuries
20
13,000 orthopedic surgeries linked to e-scooters yearly
21
Market share of private scooters (not rentals) in injuries rose to 30%
22
E-scooter injury rate is 3 times higher than bicycles in DC
23
Growth in injuries is plateauing in cities with bike lane expansion
24
Total micromobility ER visits reached 500,000 (2017-2022)
25
25% increase in e-mobility injuries among those aged 40-59
26
Non-fatal injury rate is rising locally by 14% year-over-year
27
Injuries in 2021 were 3.5x higher than in 2018 globally
Interpretation
Prevalence and Trends Interpretation
The data paints a clear, if unflattering, portrait of our modern commute: a growing legion of weekend revelers, often young adults, is discovering at alarming speeds that the quickest route to the emergency room may well be a rented scooter after last call, proving that convenience and caution rarely ride together.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Elena Vasquez. (2026, February 13). Electric Scooter Injury Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/electric-scooter-injury-statistics
MLA
Elena Vasquez. "Electric Scooter Injury Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/electric-scooter-injury-statistics.
Chicago
Elena Vasquez. 2026. "Electric Scooter Injury Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/electric-scooter-injury-statistics.
Sources & references
12 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level