Videos circulating from recent incidents in Monsey and Brooklyn are raising serious concerns about the growing use of electric scooters among children and the risks that come with them.
In multiple clips, riders can be seen losing control after hitting uneven pavement, potholes, or small obstacles, often being thrown off the scooter with force. The outcomes are not minor. These are not harmless falls. They are high impact accidents that can lead to significant injuries.
Parents should take note. Allowing children to ride electric scooters is not without real danger. The design of many e-scooters, particularly those with smaller wheels, makes them highly vulnerable to road conditions. Even a small pothole or crack in the street can cause the rider to go airborne in an instant.
While these incidents occurred in Monsey, the reality in places like New York City is even more concerning. Roads are often rougher, traffic is heavier, and visibility is more limited, all factors that increase the likelihood of serious accidents.
Helmets, while important, are not a complete solution. In several of the incidents, injuries occurred to parts of the body that helmets cannot protect, such as the legs and arms. A helmet may reduce the risk of head injury, but it does not eliminate the overall danger.
There is also growing concern about visibility. Bochurim and teens riding in dark clothing, especially at night, are often difficult for drivers to see until it is too late.
The message to parents is clear. Some toys are simply not safe. Electric scooters may appear convenient or fun, but the risks, especially for children, are significant and should not be ignored. If you love your child, it may mean saying no.
For adults who rely on scooters as transportation, basic safety precautions are critical. At minimum, wearing a helmet is essential to protect against life threatening head injuries. Riders should also recognize the inherent risks involved.
In many cases, alternatives exist. If weather and distance allow for scooter use, a regular bicycle may be a safer and healthier option, offering more stability, better control, and long term benefits.
As these videos make painfully clear, it only takes one moment, one bump in the road, for a routine ride to turn into a serious emergency.
Roads shouldn’t force pedestrians and fast riders into the same space—it’s dangerous. We need separate lanes, clearer rules, and people slowing down and paying attention.
Must be safety rules before summer with clear videos and real stories of injuries from Hatzalah etc
I see young men in these things day after day, in the middle of the street, riding at a high rate of speed, making wild turns through busy intersections, no helmet ever. Physics say a two wheeled contraption with tiny wheels and a powerful motor, driven recklessly, will eventually crash, G-d forbid. And frustrated, aggressive motorists in places like Brooklyn only add to the danger.
Which parents would let their child ride these dangerous bikes and scooters?
Not mentioned is how dangerous it is when these scooters are used on sidewalks!!!