Serious e-scooter injuries among those under 16 have increased in the Helsinki and Uusimaa region, even though the total number of injuries has declined, according to the Helsinki University Hospital district (HUS).
HUS has published a compilation of e-scooter accident data over a five-year period. Between August 2019 and July 2024, the district's hospitals treated a total of 604 children and adolescents involved in e-scooter accidents.
Most of the injured were boys, who were on average 12 to 13 years old. The highest number of accidents occured on weekdays.
There is no minimum age for riding e-scooters in Finland, but rental companies have set the age at 18.
Head injuries common among kids, adolescents
According to HUS, most e-scooter accident injuries involved cuts and bruises, totalling 334. There were 283 cases of serious more serious injuries like bone fractures, and 175 cases of mild injuries.
Head injuries are also prevalent among children and adolescents injured on e-scooters, with 221 cases of mild head injuries and 50 serious cases. Additionally, there were 12 cases of internal organ injuries, during the five-year period.
In June, a 12-year-old girl died in Vantaa following a collision between a car and an electric scooter. In August, a teen was involved in an e-scooter accident which led to the death of an older man.
"In the past year, particularly the number of serious injuries has increased, even though the overall number of injuries declined. This is particularly concerning. In the case of minors, the responsibility of parents for the use of e-scooters becomes even more significant," said pediatric orthopedist Matti Ahonen from the New Children's Hospital in Helsinki.
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