SEATTLE — As e-scooters and electric bikes rise in popularity around the Seattle area, the city has seen a spike in injuries from two-wheeled vehicle accidents, often with riders who are not wearing helmets.
In a release from Harborview Medical Center, doctors at the University of Washington say the increase in these type of accidents is alarming.
“We’ve seen increases of almost 36% from last year...and I would expect that we’re going to see higher numbers this year," said Dr. Beth Ebel, a UW Medicine pediatrician.
Dr. Ebel says head injuries are the most common among riders of e-scooters and e-bikes, with many patients needing more intensive care because they weren’t wearing a helmet.
“We see serious head injuries, facial injuries, dental trauma, really very tough injuries,” Ebel said.
A release from Harborview highlighted a 13-year-old boy who suffered multiple injuries while trying to ride down a flight of stairs on an electric bicycle.
Yann Gorbatov was wearing a helmet when he lost control of his bike, hit a tree, and was knocked unconscious, the release said.
“I fractured this foot. I fractured my breastbone or my sternum. I had dopamine leaking out of my heart. I bruised both my lungs and I cut my spleen and I mean, I am pretty sure I didn’t get a concussion, but they did think I caught a concussion,” Gorbatov told UW Medicine.
He said he is grateful that he was wearing a helmet, and without it, his injuries could’ve been much worse.
Harborview says Yann is back in school with casts on both legs but is eager to get back to playing outside this summer.
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