A 50% increase in the number of children and young people being admitted to hospital with traumatic brain injuries from e scooter crashes, has been reported by the Children's Health Ireland (CHI).
Figures shows that 12 children who suffered brain injuries from e scooter crashes were taken to CHI Temple Street in Dublin between June 2024 and May 2025. Between June last year and May 2026, that number has increased to 18.
Since then, further seven children were admitted, according to the hospital.
The CHI have said that many children who were involved in these accidents were travelling at high speeds, and some were even carrying passengers, increasing the risk of severe injuries.
It was found that all of the children who were admitted to hospitals with brain injuries following an e scooter crash since May 2024, all showed evidence of intracranial bleeding, with 97% sustaining skull fractures, while 53% needed emergency brain surgery.
It has also been estimated that since June, one to two children have been presenting at CHI emergency departments each day with e scooter related injuries. Such injuries can range from major trauma cases to fractures , facial injuries, head and neck injuries, concussions and lacerations.
This has led to an huge increase in the workload of medical teams, due to the volume and complexity of cases, according to the CHI.
Under current legislation, which was introduced in May 2024, E scooter users must be 16 or older and follow a speed limit of 20km/h. Prior to this legislation being introduced, only one child had been admitted with a brain injury due to an e scooter crash, with the CHI saying that almost 40 being admitted since.
Speaking about this, Consultant Paediatrician in Neurodisability at Children's Health Ireland, Dr Irwin Gill, said that these accidents involving e scooters have left children with "permanent physical, sensory and cognitive disabilities".
He added: "These are life-changing injuries that may require lifelong rehabilitation and ongoing support from their families and the State, and which in some cases can never be fully undone. Preventing these injuries must be a public health priority", (quotes according to RTÉ).
Elsewhere, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said in the Dáil this week that he is "leaning towards" banning e scooters altogether, while Garda Commissioner, Justin Kelly told the Oireachtas Committtee on Transport that he would support this ban.
Meanwhile, the CHI added that it supports "any measures that prevent these devastating injuries from occurring in the first place".
Back in November, an investigation carried out by the Irish Independent had found that high speed e-scooters were being openly sold in Dublin shops. Find out more on this from Nova here.
