MORE THAN 120 CHILDREN TREATED FOR E-SCOOTER INJURIES IN BELFAST

More than 120 children within the Belfast Trust area have received treatment for injuries sustained by electric scooters and e-bikes over the past 12 months, according to Dr Gail Davison, a paediatric emergency medicine consultant at the Royal Belfast Hospital. Dr Davison characterised the situation as "a real epidemic" and stated that "it's only a matter of time before we have even more severe injuries that we're already having or increasing deaths". Ninety-three children attended hospitals in the Belfast Trust in the past year specifically for e-scooter injuries, with over a quarter suffering fractures or head injuries that required investigation and CT scans. Dr Davison reported that less than 10 per cent of injured children were wearing helmets, and that the majority of those injured were males aged between 10 and 12.

Dr Davison described e-scooters as a "real problem" for parents, patients, the community and healthcare, stating they can result in "life-changing and life-threatening" injuries. She reported treating children with major head injuries requiring surgical intervention and hospital admission, as well as major wounds from e-bikes requiring theatre exploration and surgical treatment. E-scooters are two-wheeled vehicles powered by electric engines and can only legally be ridden on roads, cycle paths and in parks in the United Kingdom if they are rented as part of a government-backed scheme. Privately-owned e-scooters are restricted to private land with the landowner's permission.

Dr Davison highlighted that injury patterns have begun to extend beyond riders themselves. Over recent months, the hospital has treated an increasing number of bystander injuries, including toddlers struck whilst walking on pavements. The expansion of injuries to non-users represents a growing public safety concern beyond those choosing to operate the vehicles.