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FRIDAY, Jan. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) – Rented electric scooters are a big hit in cities, but they are also waiting accidents, a new study says.
Researchers found that in two emergency departments in southern California, nearly 250 people were injured during their stay in electric scooters.
"Electric scooter drivers share roads with fast car traffic and sidewalks with lots of pedestrian traffic and uneven turns, and riders seem to underestimate the dangers," said Dr. Joann Elmore, lead author of # 39; study. She is Professor of Medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
The injuries badociated with these electric scooters are a new phenomenon, she noted. "Although injuries vary in severity, some are serious, including broken bones and head injuries," Elmore said.
These data are likely a conservative estimate because researchers included only patients seen in emergency rooms. "Our results do not cover the many patients seen in our outpatient clinics," added Elmore.
"Electric scooters are an innovative and inexpensive means of transport over short distances," she said.
The companies offering these electric scooters are growing rapidly in the United States and around the world. "It's now a billion-dollar market, with carpooling companies like Uber and Lyft recently entering the market," said Elmore.
In addition, companies such as Bird, Lime and Skip have established stand-up scooter rental services in many areas of the country, resulting in controversy over the regulation of these modes of transportation.
For the study, Elmore and his colleagues used emergency medical records from affiliated hospitals at the University of California at Los Angeles to examine accidents related to fixed electric scooters for a year. In total, 228 patients were injured as runners and 21 as non-runners.
Investigators found that about 11% of the injured runners were under 18 and only about 4% were wearing a helmet.
The most common injuries were fractures, head injuries and soft tissue injuries. Most patients came out of the emergency department, but 15 were admitted to the hospital, two of them with serious head injuries.
Most patients had a scan of the arms or legs and 8% had a CT scan of the head, cervical spine, chest, abdomen and pelvis, indicating a serious injury.
The results showed that 32% of patients had a fracture and 40% had a head injury.
Most injuries were due to falls (80%), collisions with objects (11%) or collisions with a car or object (9%). The researchers found that of all patients, 5% had a blood alcohol level that showed they were intoxicated.
To limit serious injury, Elmore encourages drivers to "pay attention, respect the rules of the road and wear a helmet."
Dr. Frederick Rivara, professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington in Seattle, wrote an editorial accompanying the study. He said: "A lot of people and I spent time trying to increase helmet use on ordinary bikes."
Most people do not wear a helmet when it comes to electric scooters, he added. "I understand why, because most people do not wear a helmet," said Rivara.
But wearing a helmet can prevent a lot of serious injuries. Rivara believes that the cities that allow these scooters and the companies that rent them should include provisions to ensure that tenants wear helmets.
Although few injuries to the head caused by electric scooters have yet been observed, more injuries are likely to ensue, Rivara warned.
These scooters can travel relatively quickly, nearly 40 miles at the time, which increases the risk of accidents and injuries, he explained. In comparison, two-thirds of hospitalizations and three-quarters of bike-related deaths are due to head injuries.
"People who regularly rent these scooters must wear a helmet," Rivara said. "In addition, cities that allow this sort of thing should partner with companies to try to solve the problem of providing helmets to runners, and with these motorized vehicles, it is really necessary to solve this problem."
The report was published online on 25 January in JAMA Network open now.
More information
For more information on the safety of electric scooters, visit the Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
SOURCES: Joann Elmore, M.D., M.P.H., Professor of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles; Frederick Rivara, M.D., M.P.H., professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington, Seattle; January 25, 2019, JAMA Network open nowonline
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