According to a report released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, emergency rooms are experiencing a rise in injuries related to e-scooters, hoverboards, and e-bikes. These injuries include fractures, contusions, burns, and cuts, and have been steadily increasing over the past few years. In fact, injuries related to micromobility devices have seen a 23% annual increase since 2017, with a spike of nearly 21% in 2021 alone. The report, based on data collected from U.S. hospitals, also revealed that there have been at least 233 deaths associated with these products from 2017 to 2022. However, this number is likely higher due to incomplete reporting. Over the same period, hospital emergency departments treated an estimated 360,800 injuries related to these products.
The report also highlighted that children aged 14 and younger accounted for 36% of the injuries during the six-year period, even though they make up only 18% of the overall population. Furthermore, nearly half of all estimated e-bike injuries from 2017 to 2022 occurred in 2022 alone. However, there was a 26% decrease in hoverboard injuries from 2021 to 2022, as reported by CPSC.
One significant hazard associated with these devices is fires caused by lithium-ion batteries, which have claimed the lives of at least 19 people between January 1, 2021, and November 28, 2022, according to CPSC. Notable incidents include a fire in an e-bike repair shop in New York City that resulted in four deaths and two serious injuries. The fire spread quickly to nearby residences after a lithium-ion battery malfunctioned. Fires from rechargeable batteries burn hotter and longer than gas, posing a challenge for fire departments.
The risk of such fires prompted Yale University and Columbia University to ban e-scooters from their residential properties, including undergraduate dormitories. This precautionary measure was implemented due to safety concerns surrounding lithium-ion battery fires.
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