E-scooter users more likely to suffer serious head trauma in crash than cyclists, senior doctor reveals

E-scooter users are more likely to suffer serious head trauma in a crash, compared to cyclists, a senior doctor has revealed yesterday.

Consultant Dr John Legge warned riding scooters comes at a "cost" and people should think twice before buying one.

The A&E specialist, who is based in St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin, said at least two people a week present with injuries from e-scooter collisions.

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He added: "E-scooter use is becoming more common and therefore injuries are becoming more common – so the more users you have, the more injuries you’re going to get.

"In Dublin, Cork, and Galway - you’d have a fairly high number of attendances.

"If you go to rural or Midlands, emergency departments you might not see any at all.

"I did a study in Vincents which is based in Dublin which is suburban and has commuters going past on the way into town.

"We’re getting just shy of 100 a year coming into us but I believe St James might have a higher number, the Mater would probably have a higher number as well.

"You’re safely seeing at least two a week but that’s only in one emergency department, there’s six in Dublin with varying numbers."

Our reporter Dany de Vaal with an e scooter

Dr Legge said the most common type of injury would be to the upper limbs - particularly to the shoulder, wrist and elbow as riders try to break their fall.

He added: "The next up would be head and facial injuries - they would be quite common.

"The injury patterns between e-scooter riders and cyclists if you were to compare them are very different.

"Head injuries are more common for e-scooter users than they are for bike users and then culturally, helmet awareness isn’t quite there with e-scooter users."

He said a separate study published last year showed riders were likely to suffer serious head trauma compared to cyclists and the difference in helmet wearing was not the reason.

Dr Legge added: “It’s more the fact the centre of gravity is much higher on an e-scooter when you fall from an e-scooter you strike your head, you’re striking with more force and obviously you can go faster on an e-scooter as well.

"People don’t really listen to health warnings. Smokers will think, ‘I’m not the one to get lung cancer, somebody else might but it won’t be me’.

"We should look at e-scooters as a symptom of a public transport infrastructure that doesn’t function."

Legislation introduced in May on e-scooters states they cannot go faster than 20kph, riders must be 16 and cannot carry passengers.

E-scooter user (stock)
(Image: Getty)

An undercover probe published by The Star in September showed some stores selling electric scooters are brazenly advising customers how to flout new laws by revealing ways limiters that cap the speed can be removed.

Dr Legge said: "In any given day, we will have seen examples of any of those laws not being adhered to.

"Legislation is fine as long as it comes with enforcement. There needs to be more resources for gardai to enforce things. I was asked if helmet use should be mandatory but if you can’t enforce it, it’s not going to be very effective. Enforcement is the missing part.

"It’s easy to say, ‘Put on a helmet you’ll be fine and that’s all you need’ and neglect all other aspects to make the roads safer such as segregating cycle lanes.

"That is far more effective than making helmets mandatory because if you remove the risk, you remove the potential for harm."

Since e-scooters became legal, three teenage riders have been killed.

In June, Gilbert Collins, 15, and Avu Idris, 17, who were on the same electric scooter, were killed after colliding with a coach in Waterford.

A month later, 14-year-old Joe Carthy died in a collision with a car in Kilkenny.

Dr Legge could not recommend getting one this Christmas as they could replace the little exercise people get while commuting to work.

He said: "I think people should think really hard like why do they want an e-scooter.

"Are they being used to replace walking or cycling? In which case they’re removing a key health benefit like a small amount of regular daily activity which you won’t get on an e-scooter.

"If you walk or cycle 20 minutes or 30 minutes a day, you’re doing a huge benefit to your own health in terms of getting that little bit of exercise that you do need.

"There will be a cost to that, you’re putting yourself at an increased risk of injury but you’re also depriving yourself of bits of micro exercise which is very, very beneficial to your health."

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