E-Scooter Policy Not Halting Injury

When e-scooters hit the streets of Indianapolis last year, the city had to act quickly to implement safety policies.  A recent study finds riders still suffer scooter-related injuries.

The report from researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine looked at Indianapolis emergency room patients who had scooter injuries. It found a wrist fractures to be the most common injury, followed by head contusions.

Study co-author and Diagnostic Radiologist Aiza Ashraf was on public radio talk show All IN, and says city scooter laws are often ignored.

"People riding on the sidewalk instead of on the streets, like they should," says Ashraf, "you never see helmets or any kind of safety wear, and they’re driven in places like the cultural trail and the greenways."

Ashraf says the study highlights the need for better public education on protective gear and where to ride.

"I think that now we know there are dangers associated with these electric scooters maybe we can regulate them a little bit better to make sure people who are riding them are safe," says Ashraf. 

Helmets for riders are recommended but not required.