Riding electric scooters has become a popular way to get around cities, but a new study shows that the fun comes with serious risks—especially for people under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Researchers from UCLA looked at national hospital data between 2016 and 2021 and found that nearly one in four people hospitalized with e-scooter injuries were using substances like alcohol, marijuana, opioids, or cocaine at the time of their crash.
Out of 7,350 patients, 25% had some form of substance in their system when they were injured.
The study, published in The American Surgeon, also revealed that scooter-related hospitalizations have jumped more than eight times in just five years.
In 2016, there were 330 hospital stays from scooter crashes.
By 2021, that number had climbed to 2,705. This sharp increase reflects both the growing popularity of e-scooters and the rising risks associated with riding them—especially while impaired.
One of the most concerning findings is that riders under the influence were nearly twice as likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury compared to sober riders.
These injuries can have long-term effects on a person’s ability to think, work, or even walk. On top of that, hospital costs for patients who were using substances were about $4,600 higher on average than for those who were not.
The researchers say this is the first large study to focus specifically on the link between substance use and serious e-scooter injuries. While it only looked at people who were admitted to the hospital—meaning the real number of injuries could be even higher—it offers a clear warning about how risky impaired scooter riding can be.
Dr. Areti Tillou, the study’s senior author, says the results show the urgent need for action. She believes cities and lawmakers should consider rules like requiring helmets, discouraging substance use while riding, and making roads and paths safer for all users. As shared scooter systems continue to expand in urban areas, safety concerns are becoming more pressing.
According to Dr. Tillou, many of these injuries are preventable. By combining smarter safety regulations with better public awareness, we can reduce the harm and help make scooters a safer, more reliable part of city life.
