Characteristics and comparison between e-scooters and bicycle-related trauma: a multicentre cross-sectional analysis of data from a road collision registry

Benhamed, Axel; Gossiome, Amaury; Ndiaye, Amina; Tazarourte, Karim · 2022 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1186/s12873-022-00719-0

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Summary

This study addresses the growing prevalence of micromobility devices, specifically comparing trauma characteristics between electric scooter (e-scooter) and bicycle riders. While both groups share similarities in urban transportation, e-scooters combine features of human-powered and motorized vehicles, leading to concerns regarding safety, visibility, and regulatory gaps. The research aimed to determine whether these two groups constitute a single trauma entity or exhibit distinct injury patterns that require differentiated clinical and policy approaches. The researchers conducted a multicentre, cross-sectional analysis using data from the Rhône Road Collision Registry in France for the year 2019. The study included all 2,779 patients injured in traffic collisions involving e-scooters (n=825) or bicycles (n=1,954), with no exclusion criteria. Data were prospectively collected from accident sites through hospital discharge across 245 healthcare structures. Variables analyzed included demographics, collision circumstances, helmet use, anatomical injuries coded by the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), Injury Severity Score (ISS), and clinical outcomes such as surgery, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and mortality. Statistical comparisons were performed using Pearson’s Chi-squared and Student’s t-tests. Results indicated that e-scooter riders were significantly younger (median age 24 vs. 29 years) and less frequently male (64.2% vs. 73.4%) than bicyclists. Most collisions for both groups involved no third party, primarily resulting from falls or loss of control. However, e-scooter riders exhibited markedly lower helmet usage (6.1% vs. 30.7%). Consequently, e-scooter riders sustained significantly more frequent head (24.2% vs. 19.9%) and face (30.6% vs. 20.5%) injuries compared to bicyclists, while experiencing fewer upper extremity injuries. Despite these differences in injury location, the median Injury Severity Score was identical (2) for both groups, and there were no significant differences in rates of surgery, ICU admission, or in-hospital mortality. Less than 2% of patients in either group sustained severe injuries (AIS ≥ 3). The study concludes that e-scooter and bicycle riders should not be treated as a single trauma entity due to distinct injury patterns, particularly the higher prevalence of head and facial injuries among e-scooter users linked to low helmet compliance. The authors recommend that clinicians maintain a high index of suspicion for thoracic, spinal, and abdominal injuries in e-scooter trauma patients, despite the generally mild nature of most cases. For policymakers, the findings support the implementation of mandatory helmet laws, targeted education for inexperienced riders, and the development of dedicated infrastructure to mitigate preventable injuries and associated healthcare costs.

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Topics

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• micromobility e scooter
• vru crash typology