Micromobility and Safety: Risks of Scooter Use and Solution Suggestions

Scooter systems classified under micromobility have recently gained attention as an alternative urban transportation system. Due to their flexibility and ease of use, scooters have become widely used for short-distance (average 2 km) and short-duration (approximately 11 minutes) trips both globally and in our country. It is known that users are distributed across the age range of 16-60 years. From a safety perspective, more than half of scooter-related accidents are observed to be user-related.

Initially used for leisure and recreational activities, scooters have increasingly been used as a means of transportation worldwide and in our country, which has raised awareness due to the accidents and subsequent injuries, even fatalities, associated with scooter use.

Although there have not been many studies specifically on scooter injuries, existing research indicates that the most common injuries among patients presenting to emergency services range from approximately 26% to 58%, with craniofacial soft tissue and/or skeletal injuries being the most frequent. Regarding the mechanisms of injury, studies have shown that 80% involve falls, 11% involve collisions with objects, and 9% involve collisions with moving vehicles such as cars, bicycles, or other scooters. While scooter use commonly results in injuries such as traumatic brain injury/concussion, bone fractures, joint dislocations, sprains, and abrasions, severe consequences including limb loss, internal organ injuries, and even death can occur.

Especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, individuals concerned about virus transmission in crowded public transport have increasingly opted for scooters for short distances. The rapid proliferation of these vehicles has prompted legislative measures in many countries. Despite the positive contributions of scooters to transportation and the environment, it is crucial to remember their potential for causing irreparable accidents.

Research indicates that scooter users are more likely to sustain injuries per kilometer compared to cyclists, with a doubled likelihood due to potholes, pavement cracks, utility poles, and signs, and a tripled likelihood due to collisions with motorized vehicles.

Scooter users may suffer injuries ranging from minor abrasions to severe full-body trauma depending on their speed or the speed of another moving vehicle, often without using protective gear such as helmets, elbow pads, or knee pads.

The absence of a specific ICD diagnosis code for scooters in emergency service admissions results in inadequate data on the number of cases. Cases presenting with minor injuries like abrasions are recorded under soft tissue trauma, without a specific diagnosis code akin to traffic accidents for incidents involving bicycles, motorcycles, or cars. However, scooter injuries are indeed high-energy traumas similar to traffic accidents.

In our country and globally, there is a significant societal lack of awareness regarding appropriate infrastructure and rules designed for motorcycle and bicycle users, which is even more pronounced in the case of scooter users.

As scooter usage has increased in Europe, America, and many other developed countries, various legal regulations have been introduced in response to the injuries and fatalities associated with them. These regulations include requirements for scooter licenses, health insurance coverage, mandatory helmet and protective gear use, age restrictions (minimum age of 15-18), prohibition of riding with multiple passengers, carrying any cargo, and in some countries, restrictions on alcohol use and usage during specific hours or days. Specific routes and rules have been established for scooter users, and similar regulatory efforts are underway in our country, with implementation in certain areas.

The disabilities and healthcare expenditures resulting from scooter accidents inevitably place a burden on the national economy. For instance, while hip fractures are more commonly associated with falls in the elderly population, the use of scooters has increased hip fractures as well as fractures in the upper and lower extremities, resulting in prolonged surgical interventions and postoperative rehabilitation periods, particularly affecting the young, active working population.

In summary, while scooters have increasingly become a significant mode of transportation alongside their recreational and tourism uses, they have also brought forth numerous challenges. In this context, developing a multidisciplinary approach to scooter accidents, swiftly enforcing laws and regulations, ensuring appropriate road and sidewalk infrastructure by local authorities, further research by relevant sciences especially emergency medicine on scooter injuries, public education through educational institutions and media, and organizing various training programs can contribute to preventing scooter-related accidents and improving their outcomes.

Assoc. Prof. Serkan DOĞAN
Istanbul Kanuni Sultan Süleyman University
Department of Emergency Medicine