June 2026

 

The AAP News, February 26 edition presented a very informative article on how to advise parents who ask if children should ride e-bikes.

 

I have included the entire article with the response from Lois K. Lee, M.D., M.P.H., FAAP. This, I feel, is a very important topic which parents must be informed.

 

“As more children use electric bicycles (e-bikes) and electric scooters (e-scooters), injuries also are increasing—some of which can be severe or fatal.

 

E-bikes have an electric motor and a rechargeable battery and can reach speeds of up to 30 mph. Top speeds of e-scooters typically range from 15-25 mph, while some exceed 40 mph. As a result, the risk of injury is much greater while using powered devices than while riding non-motorized bikes and scooters.

 

Are e-bikes safe for children to ride?

 

There is an increased risk of serious injury when young children use gas/electric powered micromobility devices like e-bikes and e-scooters because these devices can go much faster with the electric motor than manually powered ones. As a result, if a child falls off an e-scooter or e-bike, there is a higher risk of bodily injury due to the increased force to the head, torso or extremities.

 

Unfortunately, there is a paucity of research about the injuries sustained by children on these electronic micromobility devices, and it probably depends on how fast they can go.

 

What types of injuries have you seen?

 

I have seen multiple children in the emergency department with fractures of the arms and legs from an electric scooter-related injury. But I have heard cases from colleagues of much more serious head injuries and even deaths. Sometimes, a rider on an e-scooter is hit by a motor vehicle as e-scooter riders often are on the same roadways as motor vehicles. These riders may be less visible on the road, especially at dawn, dusk or at night.

 

When are children old enough to ride an e-bike?

 

As with any activity, pediatric clinicians and families need to take the child’s developmental stage into consideration. But the basic knowledge and skills needed include being able to control the speed and gauge distance from other objects like pedestrians and cars. They also need to be able to navigate roadway hazards like potholes or tree branches.

 

When children are 15-16 years old—the age teens are starting to get licensed to drive—they probably can control an electric scooter and better understand how speed works when controlling these micromobility devices.

 

Is there any reason kids should ride them?

 

Well, they are fun. And e-bikes are still a good form of exercise. For older children, this may be an environmentally friendly way to get to school or a job as an alternative to using a regular bicycle.

 

How should a pediatrician talk to parents/caregivers about e-bikes and e-scooters?

 

This is an important topic as children are definitely using electric scooters and bicycles, and access is increasing with rentable scooters and bikes in many cities. This discussion could be incorporated into an injury prevention anticipatory guidance discussion about wearing helmets when riding a bicycle.

 

Toddlers and school-age children shouldn’t be using these due to the inability to adequately control the speed and be aware of environmental risks like motor vehicles and potholes. Families should understand the increased risks of head injuries, chest/abdominal trauma and fractures from use of these scooters.

 

Adolescents and teenagers should wear helmets and closed-toe shoes. There is no data on a safe speed for these scooters, but lower probably is better. It’s also unclear if sidewalks are better as they can have more bumps than roads. But roads also have other users like motor vehicles, scooter riders and bicyclists who can be potential hazards to children on motorized scooters. And children on motorized scooters can be hazards to these other road users.

 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

 

The most important thing is for families to be aware of the increased risk of serious injuries from electronic motorized scooters and bicycles due to the increased speeds.

 

Given the increasing use and injuries, I think we will be seeing more interest in figuring out best practices for under what circumstances adolescents and teenagers can be using these devices.