The Integration of Electric Scooters: Useful Technology or Public Health Problem?

Electric scooters (e-scooters) have invaded cities from west to east. First introduced in November 2017, this technology has become a prevalent form of transportation that has taken off in more than 100 cities and college campuses nationwide. These Web-based e-scooters are controlled by rental networks and easily operated by smart phones. Although they are a convenient and affordable solution to transportation gaps, they have presented a new public safety problem that cities and clinicians must face.With only a thin, flat piece of metal between two small rubber tires, these scooters ride just inches above the ground (Figure 1) and travel at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour, leaving riders exceptionally vulnerable to traumatic injury on major roadways. The venture-funded escooter companies, some of which are now valued at more than two billion dollars, have created a sell first, safety later technology.1 Although trauma centers are prepared to care for critically injured patients regardless of mechanism of injury, we have largely been taken by surprise with respect to the systematic approach required to capture e-scooter crashes. Collecting these data are paramount for better understanding the baseline problem and subsequently providing a way to assess the effectiveness of injury prevention efforts.The recommendations that e-scooter companies have put forward include wearing your own helmet while riding; being at least 18 years old; riding only on roadways, not sidewalks; not riding double; and not blocking public pathways when parking. Although the e-scooter companies have established preliminary safety precautions, these rules all too often are not followed.