Injury incidence and patterns associated with electric scooter accidents in a major metropolitan city

Abstract

PurposeDespite increased use of e-scooters globally, actionable data around injury incidence and patterns associated with e-scooter accidents are limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of imaging exams, injury incidence, and patterns related to e-scooter injuries, with the hope of guiding an appropriate policy response. MethodsThis was a retrospective observational study of imaging exams ordered for injuries related to e-scooters seen in an Emergency Department (ED) setting within our health system from September 2018 through December 2019. Our institutional Radiology Information System (RIS) was searched for the presence of the word “scooter.” Manual query of search results was conducted in the electronic medical record (EMR) and only studies confirmed to be related to e-scooters were included. ResultsA total of 477 radiologic studies performed on 192 unique patients were confirmed to be performed for injuries related to e-scooters. The median patient age was 28 years and 58.3% were male. One hundred forty patients (72.9%) had injuries identified on imaging, with an overall exam positivity rate of 44.4%. The most common injuries were soft tissue and musculoskeletal in nature. Over half (51.9%) of the entries with the keyword “scooter” were excluded because of lack of EMR specificity regarding scooter type. ConclusionWhile this study showed that injuries following e-scooter accidents are common and frequently involve the face and extremities, it is limited by lack of documentation in the EMR. Further research with a standardized documentation protocol will be needed to better understand injuries patterns following e-scooter accidents.