Photo Credit: (Facebook Photo / Bird)

Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) complied data from 249 people who were treated for electric scooter (e-scooter) injuries at the University of California Santa Monica and UCLA Medical Center over a one-year period.

The study found the most common cause of injury during operation of a e-scooter is falling at 80% of all injuries. Second was collision with another object at 11%. Third, being struck by another moving vehicle at 9%.

Other startling findings include: only 4% of riders were documented as wearing a helmet, 92% of injured e-scooter injuries occurred to the driver of the e-scooter, and 40% of patient’s had head injuries.

Researchers also collected data based on observations over a seven-hour period at various Los Angeles intersections. One common occurrence was e-scooter riders not wearing helmets at a rate of 94% of the total 193 e-scooter riders observed.

While these e-scooters are intended for street use only as they can reach up to 15mph, they are often spotted on sidewalks, and later when they are no longer in use, are left littering the sidewalks and curbs. While Santa Monica already prohibits bicycles and electric devices from being driven on sidewalks that seems to be ignored by many e-scooter operators.

There are limitations to this study including limited data in medical records and inability to determine urban planning and infrastructure’s effects.

Please read the complete study at here.