Citation

Siman-Tov M, Radomislensky I, Israel Trauma Group, Peleg K. Traffic Injury Prev. 2017; 18(3): 318-323.

Affiliation

Department of Disaster Medicine , School of Public Health, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15389588.2016.1246723

PMID

28166412

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe demographic and injury characteristics of hospitalized injured patients involved in e-bike and motorized scooter accidents at a national level in Israel divided by different road user groups: riders and pedestrians.

METHODS: This was a retrospective study based on data from the National Trauma Registry, between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2015. All hospitalized casualties due to the involvement of an e-bike or motorized scooter were included. The type of hospitalized road user was further categorized and described by different variables.

RESULTS: During the study period, the Israel Trauma Registry identified 795 hospitalized patients due to an e-bike or motorized scooter accident, with a dramatic 6-fold increase from 2013 to 2015. Although the majority of the injured patients were riders, 8% were pedestrians. Among the total casualties, 33% were children aged 0-14 years and among pedestrians 42% were children and 33% were seniors (ages 60+). Five persons died in hospital, 3 riders and 2 pedestrians.

CONCLUSIONS: E-bike and motorized scooter riders represent the majority of patients hospitalized due to related traffic incident. This finding questions the social and economic advantages of electric-powered 2-wheeled vehicles.

Language: en

Keywords

Electric bicycle; hospitalized patients; injury; motorized scooter; trauma