You’re 3.5 times more likely to sustain a traumatic brain injury riding an e-scooter than a motorcycle, research suggests

Research has revealed e-scooter riders are 3.5 times more likely to sustain traumatic brain injuries than motorcyclists, one day after the federal government announced plans to crack down on unsafe e-bikes and e-scooters.

A new study out of the UK examined the records of more than 15,000 trauma patients who rode e-scooters, motorcycles or pedal bikes.

It found that e-scooter riders had a much higher risk of traumatic brain injuries, internal organ injuries and artery or vein injuries than motorcycle or bike riders.

Though fracture risk among adult e-scooter riders was 20 per cent lower than adults on motorcycles, the data paints a concerning picture of e-scooter safety.

The research also showed that while three in four motorcyclists and nearly half of bike riders wore helmets, less than six per cent of e-scooter riders did.

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Additional analysis of more than 20,000 self-reported e-scooter incidents revealed women were more than twice as likely to report severe injuries than men.

Lead author David Bodansky and his colleagues speculated this may be because e-scooters are typically designed for male proportions, and female riders are more likely to ride on footpaths and unpaved surfaces.

The authors recommended further research and action to improve e-scooter safety, such as enforcing stricter speed limits and making helmets compulsory in the UK.

Helmets are already mandatory for all e-scooter riders in Australia and speed limits are enforced across all states and territories, but riders don’t always follow the rules.

A sharp rise in serious injuries and fatalities related to e-scooters and e-bikes has now forced the federal government to introduce new national mandatory safety standards.

In Queensland alone last year, 12 people died in e-mobility-related incidents and more than 6300 people presented to hospital with e-mobility-related injuries.

The Albanese government has now tasked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) with constructing a national safety framework for e-mobility devices under Australian consumer law, starting with e-bikes.

The consumer watchdog should be in a position to release the new standards by early next year.