Popular e-bikes causing surge in injuries

The rising popularity of electric bikes and scooters has a group of U.S. doctors urging caution.

The American College of Surgeons says it is seeing a surge in injuries across the country, particularly among children and teens.

It’s a popular way to get around. Electric scooters and bikes can get you where you’re going fast. The doctors warn the rising number of them on the road is causing another kind of surge.

“Where we get our trauma alerts, a lot of the time I’m thinking, ‘okay, is it another e-bike or e-scooter injury?’ Because they become more and more common,” Pediatric trauma surgeon doctor Mark Levy with Orlando Health said.

Levy says his hospital alone has seen a 250% increase in emergency room visits from e-bike and e-scooter accidents.

But the American College of Surgeons says it’s a problem nationwide with more than 20,000 people hurt while riding electric bikes every year. About 3,000 of those require hospitalization.

“E-scooters and e-bikes can attain speeds as high as 20-30 miles per hour,” Levy said. “Some e-bikes can go as fast as 50 miles per hour.”

Levy says head injuries are the most common and there have also been deaths. He says many times riders he sees in the ER either didn’t have a helmet or weren’t wearing the right one.

As speeds increase, Levy says a stronger helmet with a higher rating is needed for protection.

“This helmet is rated a three-level helmet, which would be up to 28 miles per hour,” Levy said. “And you can see it has a full shell around it and protects the head. It’s also harder than the other one, and it’s better for these higher rates of speed.”