E-Bike and E-Scooter Brain Injuries Surge: Cities Seek Safety Solutions

The growing use of electric bikes and scooters has led to a significant rise in brain and spinal injuries among riders and pedestrians in urban areas, according to a new study conducted by NYU Langone Health researchers. The study analyzed 914 patients treated for injuries linked to both pedal-powered and electric micromobility devices at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue over a five-year period from 2018 to 2023.

One-third of the patients suffered traumatic brain injury, more than two-thirds required hospital admission and roughly 30 percent needed intensive care. The share of trauma cases in the emergency room involving e-bikes and scooters increased from less than 10 percent in 2018 to more than 50 percent by 2023.

The most common cause of injury was a collision with a car or truck, accounting for about half of all cases. Fewer than one-third of riders wore helmets at the time of injury, which was linked to significantly higher rates of brain and facial injuries. About one in five patients tested positive for alcohol, a factor associated with both worse brain injuries and lower helmet use.

Pedestrians struck by e-bikes or e-scooters suffered brain injuries at nearly double the rate of the riders themselves. Among the 69 pedestrians analyzed in the study, the severity of head trauma was notably higher compared to those operating the devices.

Injuries peaked between 6 and 8 p.m., suggesting that heavy dinnertime e-bike delivery traffic may contribute to the surge in incidents. The study’s corresponding author, Hannah Weiss, MD, a resident in the Department of Neurosurgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, emphasized that micromobility injuries are now producing serious brain and spinal trauma requiring neurosurgical care at an unprecedented scale in busy urban settings.

In response to the rising number of injuries and fatalities, cities across the United States are exploring solutions such as registration requirements, stricter regulations, and infrastructure improvements. In New York City alone, 17 people died in e-bike crashes in 2024. Advocates for transportation safety stress the need for protected lanes and clearer separation between motor vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians to prevent further harm.

While e-bikes and scooters offer a convenient and environmentally friendly mode of transportation, the lack of widespread helmet use, increased alcohol involvement, and conflicts with motor vehicle traffic have created significant public health challenges. Medical professionals and urban planners alike are calling for coordinated efforts to address both rider behavior and street design to reduce the burden of preventable injuries.