Rising trends in pediatric fractures associated with electric scooter use seen in emergency departments between 2014 and 2023.

Abstract

As the use of electric scooters (e-scooters) has significantly increased in the past decade, there has been a concomitant rise in e-scooter related injuries. This study aims to analyze trends and mechanisms of e-scooter fractures in the US pediatric population. We hypothesized that there would be a significant increase in pediatric e-scooter fractures particularly from 2020 to 2023, with forearm fractures being the most prominent. The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was queried for pediatric (age ≤18) e-scooter fractures reported at US EDs between 1 January 2014, and 31 December 2023. The mechanisms of injury and specific bone(s) that were fractured were identified using the injury narrative. Trends in fracture patterns were analyzed using linear regression analysis. A total of 669 pediatric e-scooter fractures (NE = 18,103) were included. There was a significant increase in pediatric fractures from 2014 to 2023 (<i>p</i> = .011). In addition, there was a 2.7-fold increase in the annual average fracture incidence from pre-COVID (2017-2019) to post-COVID (2021-2023). The most common body part fractured was the lower arm (NE = 5,047, 27.9%) and wrist (NE = 4,765, 26.3%). The most common bone fractured was the radius (NE = 3,681, 33.8%) followed by the clavicle (NE = 952, 8.7%). The most common mechanisms of injury were falling off of the e-scooter (NE = 14,513, 80.2%) followed by impact with stationary obstacles (NE = 1,721; 9.5%). The prevalence of fractures in the pediatric population due to e-scooter use has risen significantly in the past decade, particularly since COVID-19. The lower arm and wrist were the most commonly affected, with the radius being the most frequently fractured bone. These findings highlight the need for enhanced regulation and safety measures to prevent fractures in young riders.