E-Scooter Injuries Surge Among Children in England
Hundreds of youngsters, many from deprived areas, have sustained injuries, with calls for urgent legislative review.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Callum Smith
At least 477 children in England have been injured by electronic scooters over the past six years.
Almost two-thirds of those injured were boys; the typical victim was just 12 years old. This age stands four years younger than the minimum age for legally renting an e-scooter in Britain.
Fewer than two percent of injured children wore helmets. Seven percent of injured youngsters, a total of 33 children, required surgery, with more than one in eight admitted to hospital.
One tragic incident involved Jacob Calland, 14, who died after a friend used an e-scooter on 'turbo mode'. Cases at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital sharply increased from 19 in 2023 to 47 in 2024.
British researchers claim children as young as 10 increasingly use privately purchased vehicles. These devices can be modified to reach rapid speeds of 70mph.
Rental e-scooters are permitted in cycle lanes and on roads within designated trial areas, excluding motorways and pavements, with maximum speeds of around 15.5mph. Riders of rental scooters must meet specific age and driving-licence requirements, a stark contrast to the unregulated use of private devices.
More than one in ten incidents involved a collision with a vehicle. Only 2.5% of incidents occurred on private property, with over half of cases taking place on public property such as roads, footpaths, or in parks.
Headlines have described e-scooters as “three times riskier” than motorcycles. Academics noted an urgent requirement for clearer public health advice and a review of government legislation to prevent additional casualties and fatalities.