June 2026 Sunriver Scene - Flipbook - Page 34
OHA highlights rising injuries, safety risks tied to e-bike/e-scooter use
Oregon Health Authority
(OHA) is urging riders to take
safety precautions when using
e-scooters and e-bicycles, as
new data show a sharp increase
in serious injuries associated
with these “micromobility” or
motorized devices.
An analysis by OHA’s Injury
and Violence Prevention Program, using Oregon hospital
and emergency department
discharge data, shows that
e-scooter-related injuries more
than doubled between 2021
and 2025, as use of these devices
expanded statewide.
Between 2021 and Sept. 30,
2025, Oregon hospitals and
emergency departments reported the following e-scooter injury
visits, using recently developed,
e-scooter-specific codes.
• 2021: 211 injuries
• 2022: 269 injuries
• 2023: 326 injuries
• 2024: 418 injuries
• 2025: (Jan.-Sept. 2025)
509 injuries
“These injuries are not minor
scrapes,” said Dagan Wright,
Ph.D., senior injury epidemiologist and informaticist with
OHA’s Public Health Division.
“They often involve head injuries, broken bones and other
serious trauma that requires
emergency or inpatient care.”
Someone who understands
Know the safety tips when riding an e-bike or e-scooter.
the risk all too well is Portland
e-scooter commuter Daniel
Pflieger. He was riding a scooter
home from work and slid on
ice. The accident resulted in
several bruised ribs. Luckily,
Pflieger was wearing his helmet.
“I was biking home. It was
late at night. It was just after
one of the ice storms," Pflieger
said. “But most of the ice had
melted and I was going uphill.
And it was not a well-lit street.
I would say one, wear a helmet.
Two, pay attention to your surroundings. A lot of drivers are
not paying attention. I wear a
second light.”
He added it’s important to pay attention to surroundings and to ride at a
comfortable speed.
“These things typically top
out at 17 miles an hour, and
it doesn't sound very fast, but
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when you're exposed to it, it can
feel pretty fast,” Pflieger said.
E-scooter injury diagnosis
codes are relatively new in
health care reporting, making
trend data from 2021 onward
the most reliable period for
understanding how injuries
are changing over time, Wright
explained. While the overall
numbers remain smaller than
for other transportation-related
injuries, the rapid increase over
a short period of time is a clear
safety signal.
Fatalities underscore risks
In addition to injury data,
OHA reviewed death records
from 2018 through 2025 (2025
data are preliminary) to identify
fatalities related to e-scooter or
motorized scooter use. Because
there is no specific death code
for e-scooters, the review relied
on limited text fields within
death records for motorized
or electric scooters and transportation-related codes. Any
E-bikes part of broader
indication of a wheelchair, sitmicromobility
ting scooter or otherwise were
safety concerns
removed from being counted.
While the e-scooter injury
• 17 deaths linked to e-scoottrend analysis focuses specif- er, motorized scooter use:
ically on these devices, OHA
• Twelve involved collisions
notes e-bicycles raise many of with motor vehicles.
the same safety concerns. Both
• Five did not involve traffic
devices can reach higher speeds or other vehicles.
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than traditional bicycles, are
often used in mixed traffic environments and are increasingly
used by riders of all ages and
experience levels.
“Injuries involving e-bikes
and e-scooters share common
risk factors – speed, lack of
helmet use, roadway design
and interactions with motor
vehicles,” Wright said. “As micromobility options grow, so
does the need for transportation
infrastructure, riders, drivers
and communities to focus
on safety.”
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• 59% of those who died were
older than 50.
• Seven of the 17 deaths, or
41% of all deaths from 2018
to 2025 (2025 data are preliminary and subject to change),
were in 2025.
“These findings highlight
the risks associated with micromobility devices, particularly
when riders are older or sharing space with vehicle traffic,”
Wright said.
Safety tips for e-scooter,
e-bike riders
OHA encourages people
using e-scooters and e-bicycles
to reduce their risk of injury by:
• We a r i n g a p ro p e r l y
fitted helmet.
• Following traffic laws and
posted speed limits.
• Riding where permitted and avoiding sidewalks
when prohibited.
• Staying alert and
avoiding distractions.
• Using lights and reflective
gear, especially at night.
• Taking extra caution around
motor vehicle traffic.
As e-scooters, e-bicycles and
other micromobility options
continue to expand in Oregon,
OHA monitor injury trends
and work with partners to promote safer riding conditions for
all road and sidewalk users.
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