As the popularity of electric scooters and electric bikes continues rising among children and teens in Southern California, a troubling uptick in serious or even deadly crashes involving these vehicles has authorities and community members concerned.
In a study published in the medical journal JAMA Network, e-bike injuries more than doubled every year, going from 751 in 2017 to 23,493 in 2022.
Injuries from riding e-scooters rose 45% over the same period, from 8,566 in 2017 to 56,847 in 2022, researchers found.
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A person rides his e-bike on the Strand in Hermosa Beach. In Hermosa Beach, it’s against city code to use electric power on the Strand, but many e-bike riders do so anyway. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) -
Young women ride electric scooters in Santa Monica on July 13, 2018. (Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) -
A boy rides his e-bike on the Strand in Hermosa Beach. In Hermosa Beach, it’s against city code to use electric power on the Strand, but many e-bike riders do so anyway. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) -
People ride an e-bike on the Strand in Hermosa Beach. In Hermosa Beach, it’s against city code to use electric power on the Strand, but many e-bike riders do so anyway. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) -
Head injuries, fractures, cuts and bruises: Those are some of the injuries that more than 200 riders of electric scooters — and those who were accidentally hit by or tripped over them — experienced over a year in two hospitals in Southern California, according to a new study published Friday in the medical journal JAMA Network Open. (Credit: CNN) -
Scooters can be great for short commutes around town. Many electric scooters provide the option of battery power and kick power, as you can continue to use the scooter as a kick scooter after the battery dies. -
A roller blader hitches a ride on the back of an e-bike, while on the Strand in Hermosa Beach. In Hermosa Beach, it’s against city code to use electric power on the Strand, but many e-bike riders do so anyway. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) -
People ride an e-bike on the Strand in Hermosa Beach, going 14 mph, which is over the posted speed limit of 8 mph. In Hermosa Beach, it’s against city code to use electric power on the Strand, but many e-bike riders do so anyway. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) -
A person rides his e-bike on the Strand in Hermosa Beach. In Hermosa Beach, it’s against city code to use electric power on the Strand, but many e-bike riders do so anyway. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) -
Sharable electric scooters by Bird Rides, Inc. wait on downtown sidewalks for pedestrian use, Oct. 2, 2019, in downtown Cincinnati. Electric scooter company Bird Global announced Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023, that it has filed for bankruptcy protection in an attempt to stabilize its wobbly finances. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
On March 29, Emiliano Flores, 11, was riding an electric scooter when he collided with a sedan and was hospitalized with serious injuries. The crash occurred on a neighborhood street near Elliot Way and Caliente Road.
“As soon as I came out, I heard a little boy crying,” said a neighbor who heard the crash outside her home. “I caught a glimpse of his face and it was so swollen. It looked like purple and his eyes were swollen shut.”
The vehicle’s windshield was shattered by the impact and the boy’s scooter can be seen stuck underneath the car.
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An 11-year-old boy riding an electric scooter was hospitalized after he collided with a vehicle in a Victorville neighborhood on March 29, 2025. (KTLA) -
An 11-year-old boy riding an electric scooter was hospitalized after he collided with a vehicle in a Victorville neighborhood on March 29, 2025. (KTLA) -
Emiliano Flores, 11, was hospitalized after he collided with a vehicle while riding an electric scooter in a Victorville neighborhood on March 29, 2025. (GoFundMe) -
Emiliano Flores, 11, was hospitalized after he collided with a vehicle while riding an electric scooter in a Victorville neighborhood on March 29, 2025. (GoFundMe) -
An 11-year-old boy riding an electric scooter was hospitalized after he collided with a vehicle in a Victorville neighborhood on March 29, 2025. (KTLA) -
Kids and teenagers riding electric bikes are becoming a popular mode of transportation in Southern California. (KTLA) -
riding electric bikes are becoming a popular mode of transportation in Southern California. (KTLA)
The boy was transported to the hospital where he has a long road to recovery after suffering multiple broken bones. The collision remains under investigation, but residents in the area tell KTLA they see drivers constantly speeding on roads.
Even though the crash happened in a residential area, it can still be hard to spot people riding e-bikes or e-scooters. In some cases, riders may not be following the rules of the road or are unaware of how they should be safely riding.
On April 1, a similar incident happened in Orange when two teenagers were hospitalized with critical injuries after riding a scooter on the wrong side of the road and crashing into a car.
“This is a growing problem, not only for our jurisdiction, but we’re seeing this throughout Southern California,” said Lt. Phil McMullin with the Orange Police Department.
McMullin said the department has seen a notable increase in complaints about the issue. He stresses the importance of not using a phone while riding an e-scooter or e-bike and said it’s crucial to understand where people can legally ride those vehicles and to obey traffic laws for everyone’s safety.
“Parents need to look into the laws before they buy these bicycles for their children or before these children are buying these bicycles for themselves,” he said. “There are different levels of street bikes and different categories. If you have the non-legal kind that are not street legal, then you can’t drive those on the street.”
Tips on how to safely ride an e-scooter or e-bike can be found on the Orange County Transportation Authority’s website here or on the Los Angeles County website here. The full study on e-bike and e-scooter injuries by JAMA Network can be found here.