Children and teens treated for e-bike and e-scooter injuries at Children's Hospital Los Angeles rose from 33 a year in 2019 to 124 in 2025, a nearly fourfold jump, according to research presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2026 National Conference & Exhibition in San Diego. Over seven years, the hospital treated 379 young riders, and about four in 10 had a head injury.
For Los Angeles families, the finding lands as e-bikes and rental scooters have become a routine way for teens to get to class and practice. The research suggests the question for parents is not only whether a child wears a helmet but also which device a child rides, how fast it goes, and whether that child is old enough to handle it.
