Scooters cause 9500 injuries in US in 8 months
A sharp rise in injuries related to using foot propelled scooters is leading to an increased demand that children using them should wear mandatory protective gear.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has reported that emergency room visits from scooter related mishaps are up 700% since May. In all, 9500 injuries have been reported so far this year, with over 4000 of these reported in August.
Emergency room visits for scooter injuries are up 700% since May (AP PHOTO/ LEE MARRINER)
Most scooter accidents have occurred in children aged under 15 years, and fractures account for 30% of the injuries.
Scooters have recently
become enormously popular in
the United States, Europe, Hong
Kong, and Israel; both children
and adults can be seen using
them in crowded cities.
The current models are
updated versions of their 1950s
predecessors and feature light-weight, foldable metals such as
aluminium or titanium, narrow
bases, and low friction wheels
similar to those used in in-line
skates. Most models weigh less
than 4.5 kg, cost $80-$120 (£53-£80), and are portable.
Most injuries are sprains,
but fractures and dislocations
accounted for almost a third of
the reported mishaps. Head
injuries also occur. So far, no
deaths have been reported.
Compared with injuries from
in-line skating and skateboards,
which amounted to 100 000 and
60 000 respectively in 1999, scooter injuries seem low. However, this
may just reflect a catch-up period;
in 1992, when in-line skating first
became popular, the Consumer
Product Safety Commission collected only 10 000 reports of in-line
skating accidents.
The commission is recommending that children who use
scooters don full safety gear,
including helmets, knee pads,
and elbow pads. Additionally,
they recommend that users
adhere to well paved surfaces and
avoid street traffic. Children aged
under 8 should not be using
scooters without supervision, and
using them at night should be
avoided, said the Consumer
Product Safety Commission.
Ann Brown, the commission's chairwoman, commented:
"We're trying to head off some
of the kind of injuries that happen with in-line skates and let
people know about the safety
gear early on." Some states are
proposing that bicycle helmets
be worn by children on scooters.
Meanwhile, legislation to
ban motorised versions of the
scooters have been drafted in
Colorado, and such scooters
have been prohibited in New
South Wales, Australia.
Deborah Josefson, San Francisco
studentBMJ 2000;08:347-394 October ISSN 0966-6494
