SAN DIEGO — Electronic bikes and electronic scooter injuries among children and teens increased nearly four-fold at one California hospital between 2019 and 2025, according to research presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2026 National Conference & Exhibition in San Diego.
Although e-scooters accounted for most injuries, e-bike injuries represented a growing share of cases and were considerably more severe. Children injured on e-bikes were more likely to sustain concussions and fractures, require surgery or hospitalization, and were more likely to experience potentially life-threatening injuries, according to the research to be presented during the Oct. 2-6 conference.
The authors of the abstract, "Patterns and Severity of Injuries Following E-Bike and E-scooter Use," also found that many riders – especially those riding e-scooters -- were violating age or helmet laws. Yet legal compliance alone was not associated with less severe injuries.
"Our data highlights that an intentional and nuanced approach to education, community awareness, and public safety measures around e-bike and e-scooter use is imperative, especially regarding our youth population," said Bianca Edison, MD, MS, FAAP, FAMSSM, an attending physician in the Jackie and Gene Autry Orthopedic Center at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
Researchers reviewing data at a pediatric hospital analyzed 379 cases, 70% of whom were male. In 2025, there were 124 cases reported, up from 33 in 2019. E-bike injuries represented a growing proportion of total cases, rising from 21% in 2019 to 31% in 2025. E-scooter injuries comprised 77% of cases.
Most injuries resulted from an unprovoked fall or loss of control (71%). Upper extremity (53%), lower extremity (46%), and head (39%) were the most frequent injury locations. Despite an overall greater proportion of e-scooter injuries, e-bike riders experienced significantly worse outcomes than e-scooter riders across all injury severity measures, 17% experiencing a concussion; 48% a fracture; 26% needed surgery; and 27% required impatient admission.
"These recreational transportation devices are becoming increasingly common among children and teenagers, and the injuries we are seeing are rising just as quickly," said Dr. Edison. "It is imperative that youth, parents, and the community at large realize that preventing these injuries will require safety strategies that account for the different risks associated with each type of device and the implications of their use in public amongst other riders, pedestrians, and motor vehicle drivers, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach."
