HJAR Jul/Aug 2019

Healthcare Journal of ARKANSAS I  JUL / AUG 2019 47 have been less severe, if the riders had been wearing protective headgear. The vehicles can travel fast enough — the Lime scooters in Little Rock have a top speed of about 15 mph — for an accident to result in a severe or even fatal head injury, so a helmet should be a must for every rider. I also urge parents to keep their children off the scooters. They are not toys meant for children; they are vehicles meant for short trips in urban environments. Lime’s app says users must be 18 or older, and users are required to scan their driver’s licenses, but of course this is not a foolproof barrier to young people riding scooters. The scooters do offer some potential benefits to public health. Every ride taken on a scooter in place of driving reduces air pollution and emissions that contribute to climate change. On the other hand, if riding a scooter replaces walking or taking a bicycle, the result is less physical activity for the user. I would like to see Little Rock become home to a bicycle-sharing program like the one in Seattle, which I have used and enjoyed. I not- ed with interest that North Little Rock city leaders recently entered into a partnership with a bicycle-sharing program, but they are taking their time in deciding whether to embrace a scooter-sharing program. As it usually does, technology is mov- ing faster than our policies, leaving poli- cymakers to play catch-up. In response to Because of their newness, rentable electric scooters have not been the subject of a wealth of research, but Austin Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a useful study. Researchers looked at injuries asso- ciated with electric scooters that occurred in Austin between September 5, 2018, and November 30, 2018, and identified 190 in- jured riders for inclusion in the study. They tracked down and interviewed 125 of the riders. Importantly, most injuries were not collisions with other vehicles. Notably, almost half of the injured riders (48 percent) received head injuries. Over a third (35 percent) received bone fractures, and within that group, the most common fractures were to the arms and hands (20 percent), and legs and feet (15 percent). Bone fractures to the head accounted for 3 per- cent of the fractures. Forty-two percent of the injured riders received severe injuries, meaning that the riders experienced bone fractures, hospital stays of more than 48 hours, severe bleed- ing, organ damage, or injuries to the nerves, tendons, or ligaments. Fifteen percent had evidence suggestive of a traumatic brain in- jury. No injuries resulted in death. Other risk factors the researchers identi- fied included speed, lack of experience, and alcohol consumption. Of the 125 interviewed riders, 37 percent said excessive speed con- tributed to their injuries, 33 percent said they were injured during their first ride on an electric scooter, and 29 percent said they drank alcoholic beverages in the 12 hours preceding their injuries. The study suggests that if you are injured on a scooter, the chances of receiving trau- ma to the head are high. Yet the research- ers found that only one of the 190 injured riders was wearing a helmet. Many of the injuries likely could have been prevented, or Joseph W. Thompson, MD, MPH President and CEO Arkansas Center for Health Improvement the scooter craze, theArkansas General As- sembly and Gov. Asa Hutchinson this year approved the Electric Motorized Scooter Act, which states that local authorities may establish “reasonable standards” for the safe operation of electric scooters. Helmet requirements would be an excellent start. More data are needed about the safety of electric scooters as shared transporta- tion. Arkansas is well positioned to collect such data through the Arkansas All-Payer Claims Database, which contains insurance claims data from public and private payers. With the APCD, which the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement maintains in col- laboration with theArkansas Insurance De- partment, it should be possible not only to track injuries involving scooters, but also to identify howmuch money is paid in claims associated with the injuries. As the presence of scooters onAmerican city streets continues to grow, a long-term strategy for monitoring their impact on pub- lic health and safety is crucial. Regardless, obtain and wear a helmet today to protect you and your loved ones’ brains. Read the Austin Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Preven- tion study: https://www.austintexas.gov/ sites/default/files/files/Health/Epidemi- ology/APH_Dockless_Electric_Scooter_ Study_5-2-19.pdf n “Asa Hutchinson this year approved the Electric Motorized Scooter Act, which states that local authorities may establish “reasonable standards” for the safe operation of electric scooters. Helmet requirements would be an excellent start.”