LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Electric bikes and e-scooters are becoming increasingly common in neighborhoods and parks across Las Vegas, and they're likely on many Christmas wishlists this year.
But doctors are urging parents to think twice before gifting these devices, citing a dramatic spike in serious injuries.
Hailey Gravitt heard from parents, a local medical professional and a victim to get a sense of what is happening in the valley regarding e-bikes and e-scooters:
Mason Huff knows firsthand how dangerous these devices can be. The 16-year-old was riding an e-scooter when he was hit by a car, sustaining multiple injuries, including a brain bleed, a cracked skull, and a broken collarbone.
He admits he wasn't wearing a helmet.
"I had a head trauma; I could have died," Huff said."It's not worth it. Helmets are very important."
Huff's story isn't unique. Recent data from hospitals and law enforcement agencies show a 400% increase in e-device crashes over the last three years.
Injuries, particularly involving children, range from broken bones to traumatic brain injuries.
At Sunrise Hospital, the numbers are alarming. John Pope, Vice President of Trauma Services, said Huff is one of the lucky ones, as some e-scooter accidents have resulted in death. His facility has seen a surge in severe e-bike and scooter injuries throughout the year.
"We noticed kind of a surge in the e-bikes and scooter injuries coming into the hospital, the big thing about it is it's not just that they were coming to the hospital, it's how severe those injuries actually were," Pope said.
As of the first week of December, Sunrise Hospital has treated 209 e-bike and e-scooter injury cases this year, surpassing their projected 200 cases. Pope said the severity of injuries requiring hospitalization is what makes these numbers particularly concerning.
"What's really alarming is you take about three quarters of that number, they're actually admitted to the hospital. So that's a large number that means you're injured bad enough to be admitted to our hospital."
The demographics of the injured patients are equally troubling, with children making up a significant portion of cases.
"About another half of that number is children," Pope said.
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The injuries aren't minor scrapes and bruises. Pope said the hospital is seeing significant trauma cases that differ dramatically from traditional bicycle accidents.
"It's not just bicycle injuries, you know, it's not just you fell over," Pope said.
"These are now you have e-bikes that can do high rates of speed. The injuries are more severe. We're seeing a lot of head injuries with that. We see quite a few other just mechanical injuries as far as hips and legs."
Head injuries represent the most serious cases arriving at Sunrise Hospital's trauma center.
"So if you get on an e-bike and do 20, 25, 30 and so on, then you're looking at a different helmet. You don't have adequate coverage."
Another concern is the perception of safety among riders who don't recognize the potential dangers of these devices.
"There's not necessarily the perceived danger of being on something that's, you know, it's a scooter, so they don't necessarily think about wearing a helmet on a scooter," Pope said.
The age of riders also presents significant challenges, with children operating devices that can travel as fast as cars.
"You've got something that now goes as fast as a car and you've got kids driving them 12 years old," Pope said.
Many of the most severe crashes involve interactions with vehicles, as e-bike and e-scooter riders may not follow traffic laws or may not be visible to drivers.
"Because they can go faster, because they don't necessarily follow traffic laws, a lot of these are involved with actual cars, so you see some really severe injuries come in because they do involve traffic," Pope said.
For parents considering purchasing these devices for the holidays, Pope offers specific safety advice based on what he's witnessed in the trauma center.
"We know these bikes are neat... just do your research," Pope said.
"If you're gonna decide to buy something like that for your children, just do your homework," Pope said.
"Make sure that you know how fast it'll go. Make sure that they've been trained some to the safety of things."
Proper protective equipment is essential, and Pope emphasized that e-bike and e-scooter safety requires the same level of protection as other high-risk activities.
Pope emphasized that these aren't minor injuries requiring brief emergency room visits, but serious trauma cases requiring extended hospital stays and significant medical intervention.
