E-scooter riders face higher brain and organ injury risk

A new study has found that riders of electric scooters face significantly higher risks of severe injuries to the brain and internal organs compared to motorcyclists and cyclists. The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports on August 6, 2026, analyzed major trauma data from England and Wales, revealing that escooter riders are 3.5 times more likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury and 1.5 times more likely to injure internal organs than motorcyclists.

The study, led by surgeon David Bodansky, examined records for 15,247 patients from the National Major Trauma Registry between 2020 and 2022, including 580 escooter riders. Compared to cyclists, escooter riders faced a 1.7 times higher risk of brain injury and a 1.4 times higher risk of internal organ injury. The research also highlighted a critical safety gap: only 5.9 percent of escooter riders were documented wearing a helmet, compared to about 75 percent of motorcyclists and 45 percent of cyclists.

The injury risk disproportionately affects certain groups. Women riding escooters were found to be 2.1 times more likely to suffer severe injuries than men. Researchers suggested vehicle design, often based on male...