One in 10 facial surgeries linked to scooter crashes
A study by the Plastic Surgery and Burns Service at Vall d'Hebron Hospital in Barcelona has found that electric scooter accidents caused 10% of facial fractures requiring surgery between 2020 and 2024. Of the 119 patients treated during that period, 12 were injured in scooter crashes. The findings, published in the European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery, highlight a rising public health concern despite scooters not being the leading cause of such injuries. Assaults and traffic accidents each accounted for 24 cases, remaining the most frequent causes, followed by accidental falls (21) and bicycle falls (14). Workplace accidents and self-harm accounted for 11 and 10 cases respectively.
Younger patients, more complex injuries
Patients injured in electric scooter accidents were significantly younger, with an average age of 27.9 years compared to 40.6 years for others. They also required shorter hospital stays, 7.7 days on average versus 16.7 days, and fewer intensive care admissions. However, their facial injuries were more complex. Complications or long-term effects occurred in 58.3% of scooter-related cases, compared to 26.2% for other trauma types. Injuries most commonly affected the jaw (66.7%) and upper jaw (58.3%).
These accidents are not the most frequent, but they represent persistent functional or aesthetic alterations in young people,
, Bernat López-Masramon, one of the study's leaders. Most required open surgery with internal fixation (81.5%), and in 41.7% of cases, additional intermaxillary fixation was used to stabilise the bite.
Prevention urged as speeds increase injury risk
The study notes that scooter users often fall forward, concentrating impact on the face. At speeds over 20 km/h, this can fracture strong bone structures like the jaw, especially without adequate protection.
We wanted to analyse with data a trend we were observing on call. The damage can be mitigated with preventive measures, such as using full-face helmets that protect the jaw and never consuming alcohol before using a scooter as a means of transport,
, Alexander Lugilde-Guerbek, Plastic Surgery and Burns Service, Vall d'Hebron Hospital. The hospital urges greater awareness among young riders, particularly in light of the increasing popularity of shared and privately owned electric scooters across Barcelona.
Sources: Europa Press, vallhebron.com.
