Scooters Are Fun Until They're Not: Why Your Kid’s Helmet (and Maybe No Scooter) Is the Smart Play
By Dr. Pete, Emergency Physician, Professor, and Relentlessly Practical Dad
Yesterday, while driving home, I watched two kids rip through my neighborhood on motorized scooters—no helmets, weaving through traffic like they were starring in Fast and the Furious: Suburban Drift. As a veteran emergency physician with nearly 30 years in the trauma trenches, let me tell you: the math isn't cute.
The simple truth? Motorized or not, scooters plus no helmet equals bad news. Even kick scooters carry serious risks many parents underestimate.
Scooters: Fun or Fracture Factories
Scooters are a blast. They're also frequent flyers in the ER:
In 2022 alone, nearly 67,500 emergency department-treated injuries related to non-motorized scooters were reported, with a median age of 11 (UC San Francisco, 2024).
56,800 ER-treated injuries from e-scooters occurred across all ages in 2022, with children under 18 accounting for about 36% of micromobility injuries (CPSC, 2024).
Pediatric e-scooter fractures rose 2.7-fold post-COVID (2021-2023) compared to pre-COVID years (Karia et al., 2025).
Head and neck injuries occur in nearly 40% of e-scooter crashes (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2025).
41 e-scooter-related deaths were reported in 2023 alone (CPSC, 2024).
Scooters are deceptively dangerous: no license, no training, and high-speed risk (15–20 mph) especially in car vs. scooter crashes (Yang et al., 2021).
The Overlooked Threat: Distracted Drivers and Our Children
While we've discussed the inherent risks of scooters, another significant danger looms large: distracted drivers. In our neighborhoods, it's common to see drivers glancing at their phones, adjusting their GPS, or engaging in other distractions. This behavior doesn't just endanger themselves—it puts our children at grave risk.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving claimed 3,275 lives in 2023 alone. Alarmingly, about 1 in 5 of these fatalities were pedestrians, cyclists, or other non-occupants. Children are particularly vulnerable: a study by Safe Kids Worldwide revealed that 40% of teens have been hit or nearly hit by a car, bike, or motorcycle while walking, often due to driver distraction. In 2022, 1,129 children died in traffic crashes, with many incidents involving distracted driving.
These statistics underscore the importance of not only educating our children about safe riding practices but also advocating for responsible driving behaviors in our communities.
The Helmet Evidence: It Works, But It's Not a Magic Shield
Helmets save lives:
Bicycle helmets reduce head injury risk by 63–88% (Thompson et al., NEJM, 1989).
Recent data: helmets reduce e-scooter brain injury risk by 44–88% (Brain Injury Association of America).
However, helmet use remains shockingly low:
98% of e-scooter injury patients weren't wearing helmets (BIAA, 2025).
Even with helmets, current designs may not fully protect against all rotational impacts (DEKRA, 2025; Olivier et al., 2025).
Helmets help absorb impacts, prevent skull fractures, and reduce brain injury—but are no guarantee against concussions, wrist fractures, or facial injuries.
So... Should Kids Ride Scooters At All?
Here's my truth: I don't let my children ride scooters (kick or electric). My decision is reinforced by:
Years of ER experience
Rising injury data
AAP guidance: no e-scooters for kids under 16 (AAA, 2025; Sargon Law Group, 2025)
If you allow scooters:
Helmet use is mandatory
Supervised riding only
No earbuds
Bright or reflective clothing
Strict speed limits
Check local laws for e-scooter age limits and riding zones
Most serious injuries happen within a few blocks of home (Yang et al., 2021).
Conclusion
I know helmets aren't "cool." I know I'll sound like that dad (or ER doc) at the barbecue. But after three decades patching up injured kids, here's my advice:
Scooters are fun. Scooters are risky. Helmets are mandatory. For my family (and increasingly per AAP guidelines), skipping scooters entirely is the safest choice.
If your kid argues? Tell them it's doctor's orders. (Blame me. I've got broad shoulders and fresh trauma reports.)
References
UC San Francisco. (2024). Electric Scooter and Bike Accidents.
Southwest Injury Law. (2025). E-Bike and E-Scooter Injuries.
Consumer Product Safety Commission. (2024). Micromobility Products Report.
Karia R, et al. (2025). Pediatric fractures in e-scooter users.
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. (2025).
Yang DS, et al. (2021). Pediatrics.
Thompson RS, et al. (1989). NEJM.
Brain Injury Association of America. (2025).
DEKRA. (2025). E-scooter helmet safety.
Olivier F, et al. (2025). Traffic Injury Prevention.
AAA Northern California. (2025). AAP Guidelines.
Sargon Law Group. (2025). AAP Scooter Safety.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2023).
Safe Kids Worldwide. (2022).
Governors Highway Safety Association. (2022).
Author’s Note on Content Creation
I use AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini in an iterative workflow to help with reference cross-checking, fact validation, and initial drafts. The final tone, structure, humor, and all opinions remain my own as an emergency physician, educator, and parent. These articles reflect my writing, my judgment, and my voice—with a little help from the robots.