Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital on pace to double e-bike injuries among kids this year

Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital said it’s on pace to more than double last year’s number of children treated for e-bike and e-scooter trauma injuries.

The hospital has treated 30 children so far this year, compared with 20 during all of 2025.

“We saw 20 in our trauma services in 2025, and we are already at 30 for 2026,” Erin Summa, health promotion program manager at the Center for Childhood Safety at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, said. “So the numbers definitely are up.”

Doctors said the injuries can be severe.

“We’re seeing concussions, we’re seeing broken arms and legs,” Summa said. “We’ve seen skull and spinal fractures, facial fractures.”

More kids treated for e-bike crashes than fireworks injuries this year

Hospital officials said they’ve treated more e-bike trauma patients than fireworks injuries this year. Many of the crashes involve collisions with cars or riders losing control and crashing into parked vehicles, road signs or other objects.

The average injured rider is about 12 years old. Patients have ranged from 6 to 16, with most between 11 and 13. Most of the injured riders are boys. About half were wearing helmets, although the hospital doesn’t know whether they were the right type.

Summa said parents need to understand that e-bikes aren’t traditional bicycles.

“E-bikes are not the same as a traditional bike,” she said. “They are heavier, they are faster, they are more difficult to manage, and they are leading to motorcycle-like injuries.”

Many families don’t know newer helmet requirements

She said many families still don’t know Washington’s newer helmet requirements or that a standard bicycle helmet may not provide enough protection for faster, heavier e-bikes. Summa said some e-bikes may require helmets designed specifically for e-bikes or even motorcycle helmets.

Summa added that parents should make sure children have plenty of supervised practice, ride in safe areas away from traffic, and avoid distractions like phones and earbuds.

“It’s not just give them a bike and say, ‘Go out and have fun,'” she said. “It’s really making sure those proper steps are in place.”