From WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com …
— UW Health and other members of the Dane County Traffic Safety Commission are sounding the alarm about a growing number of e-bike and e-scooter injuries among kids in the state.
The health system today issued a release about the “looming crisis” posed by this issue, noting battery-powered e-bikes and e-scooters can go up to 28 miles per hour — twice as fast as a pedal bike.
That makes them more dangerous for young riders, especially those who aren’t wearing a helmet.
“There is a real concern in the medical community that this is going to get much worse if safety messages aren’t reaching families,” Dr. Nicholas Kuehnel with UW Health Kids said in the release.
Between 2022 and 2025, the number of reported crashes involving an e-bike and motor vehicle increased by 194% statewide while the number of related injuries rose by 171% For e-scooters, those percentages were 260% and 240%, respectively, based on figures from the state Department of Transportation.
Last year, riders who were 20 years old or younger made up 43% of all e-bike crashes, marking an increase from 12% in 2024. For e-scooters, those figures were 44% and 18%, respectively.
UW Health suggests the true numbers for all these incidents are likely higher, as the current records only include crashes involving motor vehicles.
Law enforcement officers also need to take the extra step of indicating an e-bike or e-scooter was involved in the collision for that to be reported, but that doesn’t always happen. That’s according to Lt. Chad O’Neil of the Stoughton Police Department, co-chair of the commission’s law enforcement subgroup.
“This is a looming crisis, as key stakeholders are all seeing the same dangerous trends,” he said.
See more in the release below.
Top Stories
– CDC ends US hantavirus response
– Trump to seek more than $1.4 billion in Ebola funding from Congress
– Republicans debate insulin pricing cap ahead of daunting midterms
– A Ban Won’t Stop Abortion Pill Access, Telehealth Providers Say
– Senate Democrats raise ‘profound concerns’ over Trump administration website for new moms
– US military requires flu vaccine for some after outbreak in Texas training center
Press Releases
– Dept. of Health Services: Marks 50 years of the Wisconsin Cancer Reporting System
