MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — As electronic scooters and bikes rise in popularity with kids and teens, so does the risk of injury.

Doctors at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital say they are seeing a troubling increase in serious trauma cases tied to e-scooters and e-bikes.

“It is becoming a trend that we are seeing more and more kids get injuries from this,” said Dr. Patricio Lau, a pediatric trauma surgeon at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. “Over the last couple of years, especially from last year to this year, we have seen a significant increase in the number of patients who are coming in as traumas, and the highest level of trauma.”

Hospital officials say serious injuries have more than doubled so far this year compared to last year.

“They are coming in quite severe,” Lau said. “Such as multiple broken bones, internal organ damage, and in some cases punctured lungs.”

Malvina Duncan, an injury prevention coordinator at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, says age appropriateness is a major concern.

“These are designed for late teens and those in their early 20s,” Duncan said. “The issue is, a lot of parents feel like their children are going to ‘grow into’ the higher level. The problem with that is that higher levels offer higher speeds.”

Doctors say the faster the speed, the more serious the crash, with the average age of injury falling between 10 and 12 years old.

“I expect in the last quarter of the year, with the holidays and more kids getting this as a present, we are probably going to see an increase in patients,” Lau said.

Safety experts say key takeaways to avoid serious injury include wearing a helmet, avoiding headphones so riders can stay alert and learning the rules of the road and how to ride a bicycle or scooter before investing in an electronic version.

Duncan also recommends wearing elbow and knee pads, obeying traffic signals, and wearing reflective material at dusk or in the dark so vehicles can see riders. She says parents should also ensure the electronic vehicle has reflective lights.

Battery safety is another concern.

“We want to avoid burns, so make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions,” Duncan said. “Make sure your equipment is UL certified. Look at the label and make sure it is on there.”

Lau says the issue is not just local.

“This is a big topic, one that is not only local but national,” he said.

Consumer guide ErideHero reports e-scooter injuries rose 80% nationwide last year. Penn State Health Children’s Hospitals say doctors there have already treated more kids injured in e-scooter and e-bike accidents in 2025 than in the prior three years combined.

The American Academy of Pediatrics advises children under 16 to steer clear of e-scooters and e-bikes, noting that if a child is too young for a driver’s license, they likely should not be operating a device capable of speeds of 20 mph or more.

“This is something we have been discussing and trying to make lawmakers more aware (of),” Lau said.

Several states nationwide are now considering e-scooter laws addressing minimum age requirements, roadway use, and speed limits.

Here is Florida’s law on the devices.

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