Electric-Scooters: An Emerging Source of High-Severity Pediatric Head Trauma.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

Electric scooters (ES) have become increasingly popular among children and adolescents in France. To date, very little is known about their impact on the incidence and severity of pediatric head trauma (HT).

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective single-center study of patients aged 2 to 18 years admitted to a pediatric neurosurgery ward between 2021 and 2025 for HT related to ES, nonmotorized two-wheeled vehicles (bicycles, kick-scooters; NMTV), or motorbikes. Demographics, accident characteristics, helmet use, clinical and radiological severity, neurosurgical management, hospital course, and need for rehabilitation were collected. Injury severity was assessed using a multivariate model combining neurological, radiological, and in-hospital outcomes. A follow-up phone interview was conducted in a subset of ES patients to assess long-term functional outcome and postinjury behavior regarding mobility habits.

RESULTS

ES-related HT rose from 1 case in 2021 to 25 in 2025, whereas the number of HT related to NMTV and motorbikes remained stable. Nearly half of injured ES riders were below the legal age, and helmet use was rare. The severity profile of ES-related HT was greater than that of bicycle and kick-scooter accidents, and comparable to that of motorbike accidents. Five ES patients required surgical intervention, most commonly for epidural hematoma evacuation. At follow-up, most patients had favorable functional outcomes, but nearly one-third experienced persistent disability, and helmet adoption after injury remained limited.

CONCLUSION

ES have emerged as a high-severity mechanism of pediatric HT, comparable to motorbikes. Enhanced prevention strategies, including helmet enforcement, and age regulation, are urgently needed.