While walking in downtown Denver, you might notice the plethora of electric scooters, also called e-scooters, piled on sidewalks or zooming down streets. They’ve become one of the most popular modes of transportation, with an average of over 2,600 used daily in the Denver metro area. That number can easily double on busy days with at-home sports games or large events.
“It makes sense [to ride electric scooters], except for the risk of injury,” said Denver Health emergency department physician Dr. Eric Lavonas.
Although these may seem like positive numbers in terms of eco-friendly transportation, there is a risk of injury when e-scooters are not used properly. The micromobility vehicles were involved in 64 reported accidents on city streets in 2023, according to the Denver Police Department, tying 2022’s record. But far more collisions occur than are reported. Denver Health recorded just shy of 1,450 patients with injuries attributed to e-scooters last year, equating to nearly four each day. Dr. Lavonas said he sees a consistent number of patients with injuries from e-scooters.
“The increase in scooter crashes began right after they became very popular,” Dr. Lavonas said.
Many of these riders-turned-patients come to the emergency room with broken bones and brain injuries. These injuries are more likely to occur, especially at an extreme level, when riders do not wear helmets.
“By far, the biggest contributing factor is alcohol,” Dr. Lavonas said.
A 2022 study conducted by Dr. Mia McNulty—a resident physician at CU Anschutz at the time—found that 73% of injured e-scooter riders were intoxicated. Of those who broke their bones in an accident, 61% required surgery. Dr. McNulty believes that new laws must be implemented to prevent people from riding e-scooters while intoxicated.
In 2018, Denver reintroduced e-scooters with a few stipulations, including prohibiting them from being ridden on roads. This is largely due to injuries that occur when people ride them on the same road as other vehicles. E-scooters—like the popular Lime and Bird micromobility vehicles—are classified as “toy scooters” because they can reach a maximum of 20 mph. Although this speed does not seem fast, it can be dangerous when riding e-scooters improperly.
“Pay really good attention to the traffic laws and follow them,” Dr. Lavonas said in regards to riding safely.
Even though Denver law requires that e-scooters be ridden on the sidewalk, Dr. Lavonas believes that the cracks in the sidewalks are one of the main reasons why people get into accidents. He suggests being “hyper-alert” of surroundings on both the road and the sidewalk.
One Aurora resident, who declined to share his name, injured himself on an e-scooter by running into a stray rock on the sidewalk. His injuries included several scrapes on his legs and a broken arm.
“I flipped forward and penguin slid down the sidewalk,” the rider said.
Riding defensively and paying attention to other vehicles is a key factor when using an e-scooter. When using one on the road rather than the sidewalk, “[Car] drivers are even less likely to see you,” Dr. Lavonas said. “Follow traffic laws and [ride] with your head on a swivel.