Scooter Data
Non-Powered Scooters Injury Data
- Injuries associated with non-powered scooters increased dramatically since 2000.
- From January 2000 through December 31, 2000, CPSC estimates there were about 40,500 emergency room treated injuries associated with scooters.
- In November 2001, CPSC estimated there were more than 84,400 emergency room-treated injuries relating to for January 2001 through September 2001.
- About 85% of the injuries were to children less than 15 years old.
- Two-thirds of the injuries are to males.
- Most common injuries are fractures.
Motorized Scooter Injury Data
- CPSC reported that 2,870 emergency room-treated injuries relating to motorized scooters were reported for the first 9 months of 2001. There were 2,760 injuries reported in the same period last year.
- There were 4,390 total injuries reported in 2000 associated with motorized scooters and 1,330 in 1999.
- 39 percent of the injuries occurred to children under 15 years of age. The most common injuries were fractures. Most injuries were to the arms, legs, faces and heads.
Non-Powered Scooter Death Data
The following is the latest CPSC update on non-powered scooter-related deaths. CPSC has reports of 16 deaths relating to non-powered scooters so far in 2001.
- A man riding a scooter down an Albuquerque, N.M. roadway at night was struck and killed by a pickup truck on January 25, 2001.
- A 12-year-old boy from Spring Hill, Fla., died January 20, 2001, after both he and his twin brother were hit by a car while riding their scooters.
- A 10-year-old boy from Forest, Ohio, died January 6, 2001, after a fall from a scooter.
- An 8-year-old boy from Stockton, Calif., died March 26, 2001, after being hit by a car.
- A 13-year-old boy from Mount Sterling, Ky., died April 3, 2001, after being struck by a car.
- A 10-year-old boy from San Leandro, Calif., died April 9, 2001, when he lost control of his scooter on a steep hill and fell.
- A 9-year-old boy from Miami, Fla., died April 23, 2001, when he was struck by a van while riding his scooter out of his driveway.
- A man from Augusta, Ga., reportedly died of head trauma relating to a scooter incident. The date of the incident was not given.
- An 8-year old boy from Detroit, Mich., died when he was struck by a car on June 17.
- An 18-year old male from Harpers Ferry W.V., died when the scooter he was riding swerved in the path of an on-coming pickup truck.
- A 12-year-old boy from Harpers Ferry, W.V., died when the scooter he was riding collided with a garbage truck in July 2001.
- A man, 57, from Temecula, Calif. died on July 31, 2001 when he fell off a scooter and struck his head.
- A boy, 10, from San Diego, Calif, died on July 31, 2001 when he was riding a scooter down a hill at a high rate of speen and struck by a car.
- A man, 66, from Lebanon, Pa., died on August 8, 2001 when he fell from a scooter and struck his head against the curb.
- A 50-year-old New Jersey man died August 22 after losing control of a scooter at Elk Neck State Park, Md., according to the Department of Natural Resources.
- A 9-year-old boy from Altamonte Springs, Fla., died on September 12, 2001 when he was struck by the van driven by his father, after he lost grip or let go of the side-view mirror he was holding onto.
Motorized Scooter Deaths Data
The following is the latest CPSC update on motorized scooter-related deaths. CPSC has reports of three deaths relating to motorized scooters so far in 2001.
- A 27-year-old male in Phoenix, Ariz., died on July 24 when he was struck by a van.
- A 45-year-old woman died in July 2001 from head injuries sustained after falling from a motorized scooter near Escanaba, Michigan.
- In September 2001, a 13-year-old boy died after being struck by a car while riding a motorized scooter in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Recommendations
- Wear a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads. (Wrist guards may make it difficult to grip the handle and steer the scooter.)
- Children under age 8 should not use non-powered scooters without close adult supervision. Children under 12 should not ride motorized scooters.
- Avoid gravel and uneven pavement, which can cause falls.
- Don't ride scooters in traffic.
- Don't ride scooters at night - riders can't see where they're going or be seen by others.
- Wear sturdy shoes.
- Owners of scooters should check with local authorities for local laws regarding scooters.
Scooter Recalls
