Consultants specialising in emergency medicine for children have reported a sharp increase in the number of young patients suffering injuries linked to e-scooter use.
At the annual conference of the Irish Paediatric Emergency Medicine today, experts said the most serious cases involve traumatic brain injuries, some of which require neurosurgery, reports RTE.
The majority of those injured are adolescents, typically boys aged between 12 and 15 years.
Doctors noted that many accidents involve a single rider losing control of the e-scooter, rather than collisions with other vehicles, reports RTE.
Dr Caroline Fox, Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine at CHI Temple Street, said that despite 2024 legislation restricting e-scooter use on public roads to those aged 16 and older, the number of injuries has risen significantly in recent years.
She added that while injuries vary, the most serious are traumatic brain injuries, with around half of those admitted requiring neurosurgery, reports RTE.
Another consultant at CHI Temple Street confirmed that e-scooter accidents are now the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries among children requiring hospital admission.
Dr Paddy Fitzpatrick told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that many of these patients face extended hospital stays and long-term consequences, reports RTE.
He stressed the importance of encouraging helmet use as a public health priority and highlighted the need to make it clear that e-scooters are dangerous and not toys.
Dr Fitzpatrick said doctors mostly treat children aged 12 to 16 but noted that even younger children are increasingly being injured, reports RTE.
He suggested that current legislation should be reviewed and enforced through collaboration between multiple agencies, including the Department of Transport, the Road Safety Authority, An Garda Síochána, and the healthcare and education sectors.
“If this approach is not enough, additional measures seen in other countries may be required, such as registering and insuring e-scooters,” Dr Fitzpatrick said, a point echoed by Fianna Fáil transport spokesperson Shane Moynihan TD at the conference, reports RTE.
Dr Fox added that children injured on e-scooters typically spend around 19 days in hospital.
Other common injuries include fractures, soft tissue damage, and facial injuries, reports RTE.
The Government is currently considering legislation to make hi-vis jackets and helmets mandatory for all e-scooter users.
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