Child injuries linked to e-scooters have increased more than fifteenfold in the United Kingdom over the past six years, according to a study published on 11 August. Researchers from three major children’s hospitals warn that the trend represents an “emerging public health challenge” that demands urgent regulatory and educational responses.
The study, led by the emergency departments of Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool, analysed data from January 2019 to December 2024. Over that period, the number of cases treated at these centres climbed from fewer than 10 in 2019 to nearly 150 in 2024, with 477 children injured in total.
Of those injured, 95% were riders themselves, while 5% were pedestrians struck by an e-scooter. Falls were the most common cause, accounting for 75% of incidents, followed by collisions with vehicles at 11.5%. Around one in four injuries were to the head and nearly one in five affected the face, yet fewer than 2% of riders were reported to have been wearing a helmet at the time.
The severity of these injuries is notable: 64.5% of the children required imaging such as X-rays, CT scans, or ultrasounds, 13.5% were admitted to hospital, and 7% needed surgery. The average age of the injured children was 12, and nearly two-thirds were boys.
Regulatory gaps and social disparities
The study highlights a patchwork of rules in the UK. There is no minimum age for using a private e-scooter on private land, while rental e-scooters generally require riders to be at least 16 and hold a driving licence. However, 80% of the incidents involved private e-scooters, underscoring the difficulty of enforcing safety measures on privately owned devices.
Researchers also found a strong social gradient: 74% of the injured children lived in the most economically disadvantaged areas. This suggests that safety interventions may need to be targeted to reduce inequalities in road injury risk.
“Children and teens are likely to be novice road users and to take more risks, and therefore road safety campaigns targeting them are needed,” the authors wrote. They suggest adapting existing bicycle safety schemes to e-scooter riders, noting that such approaches “have been shown to improve riders’ safety behaviour.”
The researchers call for clearer public health messaging and a review of government legislation. “There must be an onus on retailers to clearly advise customers of the law, and policymakers to regulate private e-scooters, such as with speed limiters, or mandate helmet use,” they wrote. “We urgently need to increase public and clinician awareness, have clearer public health messaging, and a review of government legislation to prevent further injuries and deaths.”
The findings come as European cities and governments reassess how to manage e-scooters amid broader safety and public-space concerns. In France, Paris has tightened rules on electric scooters and other rideables, requiring helmets and reflective gear. In Germany, a July bill would make rental companies like Lime and Bolt directly liable for accidents involving their vehicles. Madrid withdrew operator licences in 2024 over failures to control riding and parking.
For the UK, the study’s authors argue that the surge in injuries is a clear signal for action. “The level of hospital care required is substantial, and the long-term consequences of head and facial injuries in children can be significant,” they note. They urge clinicians to be vigilant in documenting e-scooter involvement in injuries and to counsel families on safe riding practices.
As e-scooters become a permanent feature of urban transport across Europe, the challenge is to balance their convenience with the safety of vulnerable road users, especially children. The study’s findings suggest that without stronger regulation and public education, the toll on young people will only grow.
