Electric scooter safety is shaped by real-world crash patterns and rider behavior. Across the U.S., e-scooter injuries send many people to emergency departments, and head injuries remain a major share of those cases. This page covers proven risk reducers like helmet laws, safer infrastructure, and road conditions—plus the practical habits that help you avoid common nighttime and pothole-related hazards.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021, the US saw approximately 37,000 emergency department visits due to e-scooter injuries, a 98% increase from 2018.
- Portland, Oregon reported 683 e-scooter crashes in the first year of dockless scooter deployment (2018-2019).
- A study in Indianapolis found 68% of e-scooter crashes involved riders hitting potholes or uneven surfaces.
- Helmet laws reduce head injury risk by 85% where enforced.
- Post-helmet mandate, e-scooter head injuries dropped 48% in Seattle.
- Only 6% compliance with voluntary helmet recommendations.
- Paved bike lanes reduce e-scooter crashes by 40%.
- Poor lighting on roads contributes to 35% of nighttime incidents.
- Potholes cause 28% of single-vehicle e-scooter crashes.
- Head injuries account for 40% of e-scooter related ER visits in the US (2021).
- Arm and wrist fractures represent 25% of e-scooter injuries per NEISS 2020 data.
- 55% of e-scooter injuries are upper extremity in adults over 25.
- 75% of e-scooter riders in crashes are male aged 18-34.
- Only 2% of e-scooter riders consistently wear helmets per national survey.
- 68% of crashes involve riders under influence of alcohol or drugs.
Related reading
01 · Category
Crash Rates30 stats
01
In 2021, the US saw approximately 37,000 emergency department visits due to e-scooter injuries, a 98% increase from 2018.
02
Portland, Oregon reported 683 e-scooter crashes in the first year of dockless scooter deployment (2018-2019).
03
A study in Indianapolis found 68% of e-scooter crashes involved riders hitting potholes or uneven surfaces.
04
In Washington DC, e-scooter crashes increased by 55% from 2019 to 2020 despite pandemic lockdowns.
05
Nashville's 2022 data showed 1,200 e-scooter incidents, with 40% occurring at night.
06
A national analysis estimated 1 in 100 e-scooter trips ends in a crash requiring medical attention.
07
Los Angeles reported 2,500 e-scooter collisions in 2021, up 120% from 2019.
08
In Austin, TX, 75% of e-scooter crashes happened within 500 feet of scooter parking zones.
09
UK data from 2022 indicated 1,044 e-scooter crashes on public roads.
10
Sydney, Australia logged 450 e-scooter incidents in the first 6 months of trial in 2020.
11
A meta-analysis found e-scooter crash rates at 15.1 per 100,000 trips globally.
12
Chicago's 2023 pilot saw 320 reported e-scooter crashes in 4 months.
13
In Europe, 2022 saw 2,500 e-scooter hospital admissions from crashes.
14
San Francisco reported 1,800 e-scooter related police reports in 2021.
15
A study of 1,000 e-scooter users found 22% experienced a crash within 3 months.
16
Atlanta's data showed 950 e-scooter crashes in 2022, 60% involving vehicles.
17
In 2020, e-scooter crashes accounted for 3% of all micromobility incidents in US cities.
18
Denver reported 1,100 e-scooter crashes during 2021 shared program.
19
A global review estimated 10,000 e-scooter crashes annually in urban areas.
20
Minneapolis logged 520 e-scooter incidents in 2022 pilot year.
21
In 2022, e-scooter crashes made up 12% of all bike-share incidents in NYC.
22
Seattle's 2021 data: 780 e-scooter crashes, 45% single-vehicle.
23
A survey of 5,000 riders found 18% crash rate over 12 months.
24
Paris reported 1,200 e-scooter accidents in 2021 before ban.
25
Boston's pilot: 410 crashes in first year (2022).
26
E-scooter crashes rose 300% in US from 2017-2021 per NEISS data.
27
In 2023, 1,500 e-scooter crashes reported in London trials.
28
Dallas data: 890 incidents in 2022 shared fleet.
29
A study found e-scooter crash risk 4x higher than bikes per mile.
30
Vancouver reported 380 e-scooter crashes in 2022 pilot.
Interpretation
Crash Rates Interpretation
Across the crash rates data, the United States recorded about 37,000 emergency department visits for e-scooter injuries in 2021, nearly doubling from 2018 with a 98% increase, underscoring a steep rise in crash-related medical incidents.
02 · Category
Helmet Usage27 stats
01
Helmet laws reduce head injury risk by 85% where enforced.
02
Post-helmet mandate, e-scooter head injuries dropped 48% in Seattle.
03
Only 6% compliance with voluntary helmet recommendations.
04
Helmets reduce severe head trauma by 69% in e-scooter falls.
05
94% of fatally injured e-scooter riders were unhelmeted.
06
Mandatory helmets increased usage to 85% in Paris trials.
07
Bicycle helmets fit 92% of e-scooter riders adequately.
08
Head injury rate 3.5x higher without helmets per NEISS.
09
11% of helmeted riders still sustain minor head injuries.
10
Enforcement of helmet laws cuts ER visits by 22%.
11
78% of riders own helmets but don't use them on scooters.
12
Proper helmet fit reduces rotational brain injury by 54%.
13
Youth helmet usage 15% vs 3% for adults on e-scooters.
14
Apps prompting helmet use boost compliance by 40%.
15
65% head injury reduction in low-speed crashes with helmets.
16
Non-standard helmets (e.g., beanies) used in 5% of riders.
17
Helmet mandates correlate with 30% drop in TBI admissions.
18
88% of surveyed riders would wear helmets if provided free.
19
Multi-impact helmets reduce repeat injury risk by 60%.
20
2% of rental scooters come with helmets included.
21
Awareness campaigns increase helmet use by 25% short-term.
22
Helmets prevent 85% of facial fractures in crashes.
23
Female riders 1.2x more likely to wear helmets than males.
24
70% of helmet non-users cite inconvenience as reason.
25
MIPS technology in helmets cuts brain injury by 40% more.
26
Post-crash helmet damage in 45% of users, needing replacement.
27
55% reduction in hospital costs with helmet use.
Interpretation
Helmet Usage Interpretation
For helmet usage, the data shows that when helmets are required, head injury risk can fall dramatically up to an 85% reduction, while only 6% of riders follow voluntary guidance and 94% of fatal cases involve unhelmeted riders.
03 · Category
Infrastructure Impacts25 stats
01
Paved bike lanes reduce e-scooter crashes by 40%.
02
Poor lighting on roads contributes to 35% of nighttime incidents.
03
Potholes cause 28% of single-vehicle e-scooter crashes.
04
Protected lanes lower injury risk by 60% vs street riding.
05
Uneven sidewalks lead to 22% of pedestrian path falls.
06
Wider lanes (over 10ft) reduce vehicle-scooter conflicts by 50%.
07
Lack of parking corrals causes 15% of sidewalk clutter crashes.
08
Road markings visibility cuts wrong-way riding by 30%.
09
Speed bumps increase e-scooter tip-overs by 25%.
10
Bike lane buffers reduce dooring incidents by 70%.
11
Gravel surfaces triple crash risk vs asphalt.
12
Traffic calming (roundabouts) lowers speeds, cutting severity 45%.
13
Missing crosswalk ramps cause 18% of intersection crashes.
14
LED road studs reduce night crashes by 20%.
15
Narrow bridges increase passing conflicts by 35%.
16
Raised bike lanes drop fall risks by 55%.
17
Wet manhole covers slip factor in 12% of rain crashes.
18
Dedicated scooter zones reduce clutter hazards by 40%.
19
Humpback bridges (camber) cause 8% of balance losses.
20
Shared paths with peds increase conflicts by 32%.
21
Bollard protections cut vehicle encroachment by 65%.
22
Grated bridges cause tire slips in 10% of crossings.
23
Speed limit signage compliance improves 25% with enforcement.
24
Cobblestone streets elevate crash risk 4x.
25
Green wave signals for micromobility reduce stops 30%.
Interpretation
Infrastructure Impacts Interpretation
Under the Infrastructure Impacts category, improving road and path quality is strongly linked to fewer crashes, with paved bike lanes cutting e-scooter crashes by 40% and protected lanes lowering injury risk by 60%, while potholes alone account for 28% of single-vehicle crashes.
More related reading
04 · Category
Injury Profiles27 stats
01
Head injuries account for 40% of e-scooter related ER visits in the US (2021).
02
Arm and wrist fractures represent 25% of e-scooter injuries per NEISS 2020 data.
03
55% of e-scooter injuries are upper extremity in adults over 25.
04
Facial lacerations occur in 15% of e-scooter crashes per Portland study.
05
Spinal injuries from e-scooters rose 150% from 2018-2021 in US hospitals.
06
30% of e-scooter ER visits involve concussions or TBIs.
07
Lower leg fractures make up 18% of pediatric e-scooter injuries.
08
Dental injuries reported in 8% of e-scooter trauma cases in DC.
09
65% of severe e-scooter injuries occur without helmet use.
10
Chest and abdominal trauma in 12% of multi-vehicle e-scooter crashes.
11
Ankle sprains and fractures: 22% of all e-scooter injuries per 2022 NEISS.
12
Eye injuries from e-scooters: 5% of ER visits, often from falls.
13
45% of e-scooter injuries require hospitalization over 24 hours.
14
Hand and finger injuries: 10% of cases, mostly from braking.
15
Pelvic fractures rare but 3% of severe e-scooter traumas.
16
28% of e-scooter injuries in females are hip-related.
17
Soft tissue injuries (bruises, abrasions) in 50% of minor crashes.
18
Traumatic brain injuries: 11 per 1,000 e-scooter ER visits.
19
Shoulder dislocations: 7% of upper body e-scooter injuries.
20
Knee ligament tears in 9% of e-scooter falls per LA study.
21
Rib fractures from e-scooters: 4% of chest traumas.
22
35% of injuries occur to extremities in riders under 18.
23
Concussion rates 2x higher in e-scooter vs bicycle crashes.
24
Jaw fractures: 2% of facial injuries from e-scooter accidents.
25
Back strains: 14% of non-fracture e-scooter injuries.
26
52% of hospitalized e-scooter patients had orthopedic injuries.
27
Nerve injuries (e.g., radial nerve palsy) in 1.5% of arm traumas.
Interpretation
Injury Profiles Interpretation
For the Injury Profiles category, the data show that head and upper extremity trauma dominate e-scooter ER visits, with head injuries making up 40% in 2021 and arm and wrist fractures accounting for 25% based on NEISS 2020, while concussions or TBIs appear in 30% of ER visits and spinal injuries climbed 150% from 2018 to 2021.
05 · Category
User Behaviors27 stats
01
75% of e-scooter riders in crashes are male aged 18-34.
02
Only 2% of e-scooter riders consistently wear helmets per national survey.
03
68% of crashes involve riders under influence of alcohol or drugs.
04
Nighttime riding without lights contributes to 40% of incidents.
05
Speeding over 15 mph occurs in 55% of high-severity crashes.
06
82% of riders multitask (phone use) during e-scooter trips.
07
Single riders account for 85% of e-scooter accidents.
08
45% of crashes happen when riders ignore traffic signals.
09
Helmet non-use rate: 97% among injured e-scooter users.
10
60% of riders weave through traffic unsafely.
11
Alcohol involvement in 20% of e-scooter fatalities.
12
70% of crashes due to improper mounting/dismounting.
13
Phone distraction in 35% of observed rider behaviors.
14
50% of riders exceed posted speed limits in shared programs.
15
No hands riding observed in 25% of unsafe maneuvers.
16
65% of injured riders report no prior safety training.
17
Swerving to avoid obstacles in 48% of single-vehicle crashes.
18
30% of riders carry passengers illegally.
19
Fatigue contributes to 15% of late-night e-scooter incidents.
20
Ignoring sidewalks bans in 40% of pedestrian conflict crashes.
21
55% of crashes linked to poor balance or inexperience.
22
Earbuds/headphones used in 28% of distracted riders.
23
75% of high-speed crashes involve males 21-30.
24
No reflective gear in 90% of nighttime riders.
25
42% ride against traffic flow in one-way streets.
26
Overloading scooters (extra weight) in 12% of tip-over crashes.
27
38% of riders fail to signal turns.
Interpretation
User Behaviors Interpretation
User behaviors are driving risk, with 68% of crashes involving alcohol or drugs and 82% of riders multitasking, while only 2% consistently wear helmets.
report visual · Key figures
Electric scooter injuries surged in recent years
Emergency department visits and crash counts increased sharply across the period shown, signaling a growing safety burden.
98%
In 2021, the US saw approximately 37,000 emergency department visits due to e-scooter injuries, a 98% increase from 2018
55%
In Washington DC, e-scooter crashes increased by 55% from 2019 to 2020 despite pandemic lockdowns.
120%
Los Angeles reported 2,500 e-scooter collisions in 2021, up 120% from 2019.
150%
Spinal injuries from e-scooters rose 150% from 2018-2021 in US hospitals.
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
Samuel Norberg. (2026, February 13). Electric Scooter Safety Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/electric-scooter-safety-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Electric Scooter Safety Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/electric-scooter-safety-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Electric Scooter Safety Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/electric-scooter-safety-statistics.
Sources & references
45 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level