Scooter injuries in children

Objectives : To study the causes, patterns of injury and use of safety equipment in children presenting with ‘push/kick’ scooter‐related injuries. To draw comparisons with in‐line skate, skateboard and bicycle injuries and to suggest strategies for injury prevention. Methods : A retrospective review of medical data was undertaken for 12 consecutive months to September 2000. All children aged < 15 years who had attended the Sydney Children’s Hospital with scooter, in‐line skate (rollerblade), skateboard or bicycle injuries were identified. Children with scooter injuries for the latter 6 month period were contacted by telephone and interviewed, together with their parents, using a structured questionnaire. Results : There was a marked rise in the number of scooter injuries from October 1999 to September 2000. Sixty‐one per cent of these injuries occurred during the final 3 months of the study period, making scooters the most common cause of injury in the studied groups for this period. Forty‐two per cent of scooter injuries were fractures. Only 3% of children used safety equipment at the time of injury, despite 86% owning some form of safety equipment. Children were less likely to use safety equipment with a scooter than with any other form of activity studied. (Chi‐squared P = 0.000). Conclusions : Scooters are a common cause of childhood injury, resulting in injury patterns similar to those caused by in‐line skates, skateboards and bicycles. Safety equipment is rarely worn when scooters are ridden. Injury patterns and riding styles suggest that if existing guidelines for in‐line skating, skateboarding and bicycling are modified and applied to scooters, a reduction in injury numbers may be achieved.