Surge in Micromobility Device Use, Injuries Prompts Safety Push

To bring awareness to the growing safety issues surrounding micromobility vehicles like e-bikes and e-scooters on Long Island, Stony Brook University and Stony Brook Children's Hospital hosted a joint press event in partnership with Walk Safe Long Island, an initiative of the New York Coalition for Transportation Safety. From left: Chief of Patrol Gerard Hardy, Suffolk County Police Department, Maureen McCormick, Special Assistant District Attorney for Legislative Initiatives, Suffolk County DA's Office, Cynthia Brown, executive director, New York Coalition for Transportation Safety, Jodi Giglio, 2nd District Assemblywoman, Pediatric Trauma Surgeon Richard Scriven, MD, Stony Brook Children's Hospital, and Suffolk County Police Officer James Spoerel. Photos by John Griffin.

"I've never seen such an explosion in the amount of admissions that we've seen over the last few years," said Richard Scriven, MD, pediatric trauma surgeon at Stony Brook Children's Hospital, describing a surge in injuries tied to e-bikes and e-scooters that is impacting trauma care for young patients.

That surge is what brought leaders in public health, medicine and law enforcement to Stony Brook University's Charles B. Wang Center on March 27, where they addressed the rapid rise of micromobility devices and the growing safety concerns surrounding their use.

"We want to make sure our residents are safe, healthy, and have access to the best health care and services possible," said Janine Logan, director of the Long Island Health Collaborative.

The conversation centered on e-bikes and e-scooters, which have grown increasingly popular since New York State legalized their use in 2020, with widespread use among adults and children.

"This is something that became law in April of 2020 and was intended to legalize scooters," said Cynthia Brown, executive director of the New York Coalition for Transportation Safety. "I don't know that anyone could have predicted how rapidly the use of these vehicles would spread."

Richard Scriven, Pediatric Trauma Surgeon, Stony Brook Children's Hospital.

Unfortunately, that rapid growth has brought with it a dramatic increase in injuries, many difficult to track.

"It's very hard for us to get a complete picture of the injuries," Brown said, noting that incidents may be recorded differently by hospitals and motor vehicle reporting systems.

She also pointed to disturbing statistics, including fatalities involving riders as young as 13 and as old as 79. While some involved alcohol or drugs, others were hit-and-run crashes or collisions.

Medical professionals at Stony Brook Children's Hospital are seeing the consequences in their patients.

"We regularly see children with significant head injuries that are going to be life-altering for these patients and we have had fatalities," Scriven said. "Some people would call these accidents. I think that implies that it's random and not preventable. These are not accidents."

He emphasized that many of the injuries could be reduced through better regulation, safer infrastructure and education.

"We need to educate the parents who think they're buying a toy for their child that they don't realize what a dangerous weapon this can be," Scriven said.

Law enforcement officials described the challenges of keeping up with technology and inconsistent public awareness.

"This is an important issue. It's an issue that we're facing every day," said Suffolk County Police Chief of Patrol Gerard Hardy.

Hardy outlined the nuances of defining micromobility devices, which range from low-speed e-bikes to high-powered electric motorcycles. He also highlighted widespread misuse, including riders traveling on sidewalks, exceeding speed limits and operating vehicles illegally.

"Parents are not educated to the fact that 15-year-olds are not allowed to own these legally in New York State or in Suffolk County," Hardy said.

Since March 1, Suffolk County police have increased enforcement, issuing summonses and confiscating devices in certain cases. The most common violations include riding on high-speed roads, using sidewalks and operating unauthorized electric motorcycles.

Hardy emphasized that enforcement alone is not enough.

"It's education that changes how people think and creates compliance," he said.

Maureen McCormack, special assistant district attorney for legislative initiatives in the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, echoed that sentiment.

"It's always the three E's - education, engineering, and enforcement. One can't function without the others," McCormack said.

She noted that many parents unknowingly purchase high-powered devices for their children, unaware of age restrictions or safety risks.

"They think they're buying a bike, and they're actually handing them an avenue toward life-changing injury and they don't realize it," McCormack said.

Speakers also highlighted gaps in consumer education at the point of sale, where retailers may not fully explain legal requirements or safety considerations, including the need for specialized helmets capable of protecting riders at higher speeds.

"We're working both on the enforcement side and the education side to try to get that done," Hardy said. "I don't think any death or injury is acceptable, but we've got to get those numbers down."

- Beth Squire