“Concerningly high” injury rate among Auckland e-scooter riders
Observational study: A study in which the subject is observed to see if there is a relationship between two or more things (eg: the consumption of diet drinks and obesity). Observational studies cannot prove that one thing causes another, only that they are linked.
People: This is a study based on research using people.
Researchers looked at 178 cases of people riding either e-scooters or bicycles who were treated for injuries at Auckland City Hospital. They found people who rode e-scooters rarely wore protective gear and had more isolated falls than collisions. For those patients who had their blood alcohol levels taken, the researchers found almost 20 per cent of the e-scooter group tested positive for alcohol compared to 6 per cent of the cyclists, with almost all cases in both groups testing over the legal driving limit for alcohol. The researchers say their findings show a “concerningly high” rate of injury among e-scooter riders, and that e-scooter transport is “currently not as safe as cycling.”
Journal/conference: New Zealand Medical Journal
Organisation/s: Auckland City Hospital
