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The CDC is Studying the Rise in Electric Scooter Injuries For the First Time as Startups Expand To More Cities (cnbc.com)

Posted by msmash on from the about-time dept.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is examining the rise of injuries related to shareable electric scooters. From a report: "We want to identify the risk factors for those who get injured, how severe the injuries are and why they're getting hurt," said Jeff Taylor, manager of the Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit with Austin Public Health. Taylor, who is overseeing the investigation, is working with three CDC epidemiologists to examine severe injuries that occurred in Austin from September to November 2018. He said both agencies have completed collecting data and are currently in the process of summarizing various reports. "There's a perception that scooter-related injuries occur at night. Well that's not true," Taylor said. "Our study will show they occur during all times of the day. People may also perceive there's typically a car involved. But our study finds most of the time the rider may hit a bump in the road or they simply lose their balance."

14 of 77 comments (clear)

  1. Small wheels are crap by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Scooters have been around a long time but they have only ever been popular in countries where people can't afford vehicles with larger wheels. There's a reason for that, and it should be obvious. The smaller the wheel, the larger every road obstacle seems, and the harder they are to get over. In recent years, bicycle wheels have gotten bigger because of this factor.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    1. Re:Small wheels are crap by JimSadler · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Some people are slow learners when it comes to scooters and even on brands like Vespa which have had gasoline engines for 70 years or so will have new riders flop over sideways at times. It is a balance and perception problem and has nothing to do with the scooters themselves. The larger wheels seen on bicycles is a myth. If you look back to the penny farthing bicycles huge wheels and full size wheels have been common. Today we see that sustaining a speed as well as pedal input effort on a touring bike requires large diameter with very narrow tires. Yet mountain bikes do better with a bit smaller and fatter wheels. Small, 20 inch wheels work fine and can be very strong but they are also slow and require more pedal effort at higher speeds. The best answer for new scooter riders is to dress to crash. Hand, elbow and knee protection and quality head gear make all the difference and the least experienced riders need more safety gear.

    2. Re:Small wheels are crap by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      The larger wheels seen on bicycles is a myth.

      No, bicycles really do have bigger wheels, and 29ers really are taking over, especially in MTBs.

      If you look back to the penny farthing bicycles huge wheels and full size wheels have been common.

      If the wheel is too large, then it causes other problems. But bicycle wheels come in a variety of sizes, and the wheels of relatively contemporary bicycles with two identically-sized wheels have been growing in diameter somewhat steadily.

      Yet mountain bikes do better with a bit smaller and fatter wheels. Small, 20 inch wheels work fine and can be very strong but they are also slow and require more pedal effort at higher speeds.

      All bollocks. Small 20 inch wheels are only used on BMX bicycles, and children's bikes, not on adult-sized MTBs.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  2. Ya, well ... by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 2

    "We want to identify the risk factors for those who get injured, ...

    I'd start with Newton's 3 Laws of Motion and Gravity (The force, not the film -- though I imagine her injuries and the orbital destruction would have been way worse had Dr. Ryan Stone been also riding an electric scooter...)

    --
    It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
  3. Why is the CDC investigfating this? by SeaFox · · Score: 2

    This seems to be be something the Consumer Product Safety Council should be doing instead.

    1. Re:Why is the CDC investigfating this? by mysidia · · Score: 4, Interesting

      The CDC is a Public Health Agency, and their mission includes the prevention of injury and disability as well; the CDC are also involved in addressing public health concerns related to environmental health, occupational safety, health promotion, and injury prevention.
      For example, they provide information about Obesity and Diabetes, even though these are not considered infectious disease.

    2. Re:Why is the CDC investigfating this? by mysidia · · Score: 2

      gun deaths are a disease as well, in some sense --- although there is a federal law prohibiting the CDC's researchers from publishing in support of gun control.

      And there's some research noting

      the "mere presence of a gun in a home increased the risk of a firearm-related death by 2.7 percent, and suicide fivefold

      In response to research outcomes the NRA didn't like? In response, the NRA launched a "campaign to shut down the (CDC's) Injury Center."

  4. Re:Why the CDC? by rudy_wayne · · Score: 2

    As long as people are only hurting themselves and not hurting others, then there is no problem.

    You can't fix (or prevent) stupid.

  5. Re:What's the objective? by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · · Score: 2

    There's an idea.

    I have a feeling you're implying startups should somehow be immune from stringent rules and regulations because that would stifle innovation and new business ideas. Well, when startups' business model consists in filling the streets with dangerous vehicles, I'm all for killing them outright.

    --
    "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
  6. Re:study scooters? not guns? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    False. They are prohibited from advocating for gun control, They can study gun violence all they want. And that was passed in 1996 long after Reagan left office.

    So you are a liar.

  7. Will show? by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Our study will show they occur during all times of the day.

    ...and we’ll keep playing with the numbers until it does.

    I mean, if the CDC is studying this—and that’s not a bad thing—shouldn’t they wait until after the study is completed before telling us what it showed?

  8. CDC should stick to disease control by schwit1 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This is a transportation or consumer product safety issue.

    What's the matter CDC, not enough work dealing with the current crop of nasty bugs in the world(Flu, Ebola, etc)? You now feel the need stick your noses into areas that are clearly outside the scope of a DISEASE CONTROL agency?

    If you want to be helpful please go after Facebook.

    1. Re:CDC should stick to disease control by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      Sigh. Do all Americans get hung up on names without bothering to even understand what the hell an agency actually does? Is that why governments spend so long coming up with catchy titles for legislation?

      The CDC is your public health agency. Their remit is health, safety and security. Even within the health component they have a vastly wider scope than just diseases. They also tie in closely with OSHA for workplace safety. And the key one here: They *are* your premier research agency into trending of anything that is likely to impact your health, safety or security in any way.

      If you want to be helpful please go after Facebook.

      They already have. The CDC studied addiction to electronic devices a few years ago and noted the impact of social networks, but they are not a regulatory agency. To fix the problem you need to get your legislators involved.

  9. As always in these cases by nospam007 · · Score: 2

    Think of it as evolution in action.