Doctor: At least one child admitted to Estonian hospital daily after e-scooter falls
An Estonian emergency doctor says 80% of serious e-scooter accidents are caused by loss of balance and falling rather than collisions. Tallinn Children's Hospital reportedly admits at least one such case almost daily.
Kadri Ustav, a resident physician at the emergency medicine department of the North Estonia Medical Centre (PERH), told the radio programme "R2 Hommik!" that most serious e-scooter accidents do not involve collisions.
Falls, not collisions, drive severe injuries
According to Ustav, around 80% of serious e-scooter accidents result not from hitting another vehicle or pedestrian, but from riders losing balance and falling. She noted that Tallinn Children's Hospital now sees at least one child injured in an e-scooter accident almost every day. PERH recorded roughly 400 such incidents last year, a figure that includes both adults and children.
Speed, missing helmets and double riding
Ustav explained that severe cases are typically linked to excessive speed and riders not wearing helmets. Another recurring problem is two or more people riding a single scooter at once. Among adults, impaired decision-making from psychoactive substances adds further risk — most adult riders treated at PERH after accidents had consumed alcohol.
Pressure on emergency care
Working in the emergency department, Ustav encounters a wide range of cases, from elderly patients with chronic illnesses to severe traffic accidents and poisonings. She stressed the important role of the triage nurse, who determines which patients need help most urgently.
Ustav encouraged people to better understand their own health condition, noting that many reasons people seek emergency care — such as a tick bite, fever, cough or runny nose — can be treated at home. Emergency care should be sought immediately only for serious conditions, such as severe chest pain radiating into the arm, a serious injury, or a deep cut wound.
