Statistics suggest that far too many persons are being rushed to hospital emergency rooms with brain injuries and fractures after accidents caused when they were riding their e- scooters. Alcohol is blamed for many of these accidents.

A recent study whose results were published in the journal Trauma Surgery and Acute Care Open found that many e-scooter accidents involved persons who were operating these devices while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It is important to remember that e-scooters are motor equipment that require a person to be in full use of his faculties. A person using alcohol or mind- altering drugs should definitely not be using an e-scooter, no matter how harmless it may seem.

The risk with e-scooters is that they have a very narrow frame and  pivot point at the waist.  This can mean that even a small bump can catapult the person far away from the point of impact. Falling on the ground can mean catastrophic injuries like brain or spinal injuries because many scooter riders don’t bother with a helmet or other protective gear. Besides, the impact can cause other serious injuries, like fractures.

The study focused on more than 100 e-scooter injuries that were reported at 3 trauma centers over a one-year period. The researchers found that most of the injuries involved males with an average age of 37. More than 80 percent of these victims were subjected to alcohol tests, and more than 50 percent of the persons who were tested had blood alcohol levels above the .08 limit for operating  a motor  vehicle.

An e-scooter is an exceedingly convenient way to get around. Many cities now offer these options, and these have become popular among younger users, especially millennials who love the low carbon footprint factor of these devices. However, there are rules to using these devices just as with other means of transportation. Using alcohol or drugs while you are using an e-scooter must be an absolute no-no.

The Indianapolis complex trial attorneys at Montross Miller represent persons injured in car accidents in the Indianapolis region and across Indiana.