Overview
- A multi‑center study that used near‑real‑time PEDSNet hospital records found steep, sustained increases in pediatric injuries from electric bikes and scooters, with e‑bike and e‑scooter case counts rising far faster than nonmotorized devices.
- Children hurt on powered devices were about twice as likely to sustain severe outcomes such as surgery or ICU care, and they had roughly double the rate of brain injuries compared with regular bikes and scooters.
- A large share of injuries involved very young children, with the study and other hospital data showing many cases in kids under 12 and sharp spikes in hospitalizations among teen boys in some regions.
- Authors and clinicians are urging policy steps — including minimum age rules, lower speed limits or governors, stronger helmet standards and tamper‑resistant design — and some local jurisdictions have begun piloting or adopting restrictions.
- The study relied on new 2022 device diagnostic codes and PEDSNet EHR aggregation to detect trends quickly, but it covers six major pediatric centers and the authors call for broader national surveillance to guide regulation and prevention.