Electric scooters and bikes are popular gifts, but safety experts say many people may not realize the risks before buying them.
Mayra Vazquez is an injury and prevention coordinator at Cottage Health in Santa Barbara. She says that over the past few years, the number of severe injuries from the use of electric bikes and scooters has been increasing.
“We’re seeing a range of injuries from facial fractures to femur fractures, so it’s really concerning in our community,” Vazquez said.
She says an e-bike going just a few miles per hour in a collision can have the impact of traveling up to 30 miles per hour.
“It’s important for adults to know what they are purchasing and to know what classification is on the manufactured sticker,” she said.
California law also has specific helmet rules for electric bikes: riders under 18 must wear a helmet on any e-bike, and anyone riding a faster Class 3 e-bike must wear a helmet regardless of age because those models can go up to about 28 mph.
Meanwhile, staff at Sweep, an e-scooter rental shop in downtown Santa Barbara, say they enforce strict helmet requirements.
“If you’re under 18, you can’t rent without a parent and you have to wear a helmet,” said Kevin Hulihan.
The shop also notes that e-scooters are especially popular among kids and teens.
Vazquez encourages parents to lead by example. That includes wearing a helmet and following the rules of the road.
