Young Riders At Risk As Escooter Incidents Soar

To the casual observer, E-scooters look like they are a whole lot of fun. A few years back an E-scooter rideshare business tried to get started in the Wenatchee Valley. They had some moderate success. At least on one occasion I had a coworker who looked at the E-scooters and said that it looks like a lot of fun and so she tried it out and wound up going to the ER with a broken elbow. 

Looking back now, it seems like 2024 was a banner year for E-scooter injuries.  

According to axios.com,
‘Seattle and the rest of the U.S. are seeing an alarming rise in electric scooter injuries — particularly among children, according to data compiled by ERideHero, a consumer guide to electric micro-mobility.
E-scooters, despite their well-publicized boom and bust history, have become mainstream in many cities while lacking the safety guardrails that govern other types of transportation.’ 

In 2024 nationally, E-scooter injuries were up almost 80%. Nearly 81 million people took trips on rideshare E-scooters. Across the United States over 150,000 E-scooters have been deployed each day. 

To the casual observer It seems like there's no rules or regulations regarding how to ride an E-scooter. No protection is required; people seem to be riding on sidewalks, it was not that long ago that I saw somebody riding their E-scooter on the wrong side of the road, traveling at about 30 mph, and then they crossed 4 lanes of traffic and continued on their way unscathed. 

To my way of thinking, it seems like a minor miracle that these scooter injuries are only up 80%. 

I have to admit, when they first showed up on the streets of Wenatchee, looking at a new scooter, I said to myself, "ohh, if I was only 20 years younger, I'd be zipping around on one of those things". 

E-scooter accidents have doubled over the last year. The age group that has taken the biggest beating on E-scooters, ages 15 to 24. As long as people continue to think of E-scooters as toys instead of transportation, injuries will increase. 

The essential things to remember when riding an E scooter. 

First, wear a helmet. Basically, how much is your head worth? Protect it. 

Make sure people can see you. wear bright and reflective material 

Get off the sidewalk and stick to bicycle lanes. 

Follow the rules of the road, just like you were driving a car. 

Keep kids off the road. Children should not be riding E-scooters in traffic. 

Don't assume anyone can see you.  

The whole concept of defensive driving takes on a whole new outlook when you're on an E-scooter. 

If you must ride, be careful. Keep an eye on the traffic around you and watch out for obstacles. 

Axios Seattle
The Rise and Reckoning of Scooter-Sharing: Economics, Operations, and Viability
Electric Scooter Accident Report 2025