A new paper published in JAMA Network Open compares hospitalization rates and user characteristics among injured riders of conventional and electric two-wheeled vehicles. Study: Injuries With Electric vs Conventional Scooters and Bicycles . Image Credit: r.
classen / Shutterstock.com The rise of micromobility Micromobility is a transportation term referring to the use of small vehicles, especially scooters, and bicycles, that can carry at most two people. Micromobility vehicles are becoming increasingly common in the United States due to their affordability, low emissions, and easy availability, especially in congested urban areas.
Electric vehicles' relatively faster acceleration increases the risk of serious injury when used by inexperienced riders. Furthermore, shared vehicle platforms rarely offer helmet rentals, thereby increasing the potential for physical injury in the event of a fall. These advantages have led to an over 50-fold rise in the number of people who use these vehicles, with the market projected to reach $300 billion USD by 2030.
Despite their growing popularity, there remains a lack of data on the safety of these vehicles. About the study The current cross-sectional observational study included data obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) on 86,623 individuals. NEISS compiles data on injuries resulting from the use of consumer products that cause the person to attend the emergency department (ED).
For the current study, data.