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By Brian Hews
Publisher | Follow X
April 26, 2026
E-bikes and scooters are everywhere across Los Angeles and Orange County, but a new study shows the injuries are rising just as fast—and they’re far more serious than most riders think.
Researchers at NYU Langone Health analyzed 914 patients treated at a New York City trauma center between 2018 and 2023. What they found is hard to ignore: e-bikes and scooters now account for 6.9% of all trauma admissions. About 68% of those injured were hospitalized, 30% needed intensive care, and roughly half required surgery or medical procedures. About one in three suffered a traumatic brain injury.
That’s not a small trend—it’s a major category of trauma.
The biggest cause of injury wasn’t falling off the bike. It was getting hit by a car. Nearly half of all cases involved collisions with vehicles, with falls a distant second. The formula is simple: cars, faster bikes, and streets that weren’t built for either.
That setup is easy to spot across Southeast L.A. County—riders weaving through traffic, jumping onto sidewalks, and cutting across busy intersections. The speed is higher, the margins are tighter, and when something goes wrong, the injuries are severe.
The study also found something unexpected: pedestrians are often the ones who suffer the worst injuries. People hit by e-bikes had higher rates of brain trauma—about 56.5% compared to roughly 30% for riders—and were more likely to end up in intensive care. When electric bikes are involved, the injuries are even more severe.
That shifts the issue from a rider problem to a public safety problem.
Helmet use isn’t helping. Only 31.7% of riders were wearing one at the time of injury. Those who skipped helmets had much higher rates of brain and facial injuries. Researchers called helmet use a “critical, modifiable factor”—in other words, an easy fix that most people ignore.
Alcohol is another piece of the puzzle. About 20% of injured riders were intoxicated. Those riders had worse brain injuries, lower levels of consciousness, and were less likely to be wearing helmets. It’s the same risky behavior seen in car crashes—just now happening on two wheels.
The timing tells a story too. Most injuries happen in the evening, especially between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., and many occur at night. Lower visibility, fatigue, and alcohol all play a role.
The biggest shift, though, is how fast e-bikes have taken over. In 2018, electric bikes and scooters made up about 8% of injuries. By 2023, they accounted for more than half. Even if each crash isn’t worse, there are simply far more of them.
That’s why hospitals are feeling it.
Back in Southern California, the conditions are similar—crowded sidewalks, delivery riders moving fast, and very little helmet use. Cities have added some bike lanes, but most streets still force riders to mix with cars or pedestrians.
The study doesn’t blame e-bikes. It says the system hasn’t caught up. Infrastructure is lagging, and behavior—no helmets, riding under the influence—is making things worse.
The fixes are straightforward: build protected bike lanes, increase helmet use, and crack down on intoxicated riding.
Until then, the trend is clear—more e-bikes on the street means more serious injuries in the ER.
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