Continuously increasing e-scooter accidents and their possible prevention in a large European city.

Autor: Frank S; AUVA Trauma Center Vienna Meidling, Kundratstraße 37, Vienna, A-1120, Austria., Sator T; AUVA Trauma Center Vienna Meidling, Kundratstraße 37, Vienna, A-1120, Austria., Kinsky RM; Orthopaedic Hospital Speising, Speisinger Straße 109, Vienna, A-1130, Austria., Frank JK; Hospital of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Baumgasse 20A, Vienna, A-1030, Austria., Frank R; Austrian Workers' Compensation Board (AUVA), Wienerbergstraße 11, Vienna, A-1100, Austria., Fialka C; AUVA Trauma Center Vienna Meidling, Kundratstraße 37, Vienna, A-1120, Austria.; Sigmund Freud University, Freudplatz 1, Vienna, A-1020, Austria., Mittermayr R; AUVA Trauma Center Vienna Meidling, Kundratstraße 37, Vienna, A-1120, Austria. rainer.mittermayr@auva.at.; Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Traumatology, Donaueschingenstraße 13, Vienna, A-1200, Austria. rainer.mittermayr@auva.at., Boesmueller S; AUVA Trauma Center Vienna Meidling, Kundratstraße 37, Vienna, A-1120, Austria.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society [Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg] 2024 Dec; Vol. 50 (6), pp. 2895-2904. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Aug 07.
DOI: 10.1007/s00068-024-02594-9
Abstrakt: Purpose: During the last few years, the number of electric scooter (e-scooter) users has risen to an all-time high. This study aimed to analyze e-scooter related accidents and trauma prevention measures in a large European city (Vienna, Austria).
Methods: This retrospective study comprises a thorough data assessment and analysis of all e-scooter related accidents between 2018 and 2021 at a large level 1 trauma center in Vienna. Based on the data analysis, risk factors were identified, and possible prevention strategies were proposed.
Results: During the observed period, 1337 patients sustained an injury from an e-scooter. Of these, 1230 were injured directly while driving (92%). The remaining 107 patients (8%) were classified as non-driving injuries. 927 injuries involved males (69.3%). The mean age was 32.1 years (range 4-86 years). Of all injured patients, 429 (32.1%) sustained at least one serious injury. The most common injuries included radial head fractures and concussions. Among the accidents treated, the use of protective equipment was sporadic. For example, helmets were worn in only 13.7% of cases. Wearing a helmet reduced the number of head injuries (24% versus 46.8%). In just three years, the number of patients increased 19-fold with a focus in the summer months.
Conclusion: This study shows a substantial and sustained increase in e-scooter accidents with potentially serious injuries. Helmet use was found to be an effective form of head injury prevention. Further options for using protective equipment should be evaluated to improve the safety aspects of riding e-scooters.
Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Austrian Workers’ Compensation Board (IRB Code EK 01/2022, approved on May 4th 2022) before data collection and analysis. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
(© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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