Parents urged not to buy e-scooters for children under 16 for Christmas

People have been urged not to buy e-scooters for children ahead of the Christmas period as authorities warned of a “worrying” rise in brain injuries linked to their use.

It is illegal for children aged under 16 to ride an e-scooter on a public road.

Despite this, e-scooters have become the leading cause of traumatic brain injury in children admitted to Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street, the national neurosurgical centre in Ireland.

E-scooter-related brain injuries made up more than 25% of paediatric neurosurgical admissions at Temple Street this year.

Around half of these children required intensive care and almost half underwent emergency neurosurgery, with some left with permanent disabilities.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and CHI have launched a radio advert aimed at deterring parents and guardians from purchasing the vehicles for children.

On the advert, consultant paediatrician Dr Irwin Gill delivers a message based on his experience treating young patients with severe head injuries caused by e-scooter collisions and falls.

“I work with many teams across our hospitals to look after children who have suffered traumatic brain injuries,” said Dr Gill.

“In the last year alone, we’ve seen more than 20 children who sustained serious brain injuries after falling from e-scooters.

“The average hospital stay for these children was 19 days and some face lifelong consequences.

“Many parents don’t realise it’s illegal for anyone under 16 to ride an e-scooter on a public road.

“As someone who sees injured children far too often, I’m asking parents: please do not allow any child under sixteen to ride an e-scooter.”

Research conducted by the RSA indicates there is growing concern among the Irish public about the safety of e-scooters.

One in three regular users admit to riding on footpaths – where use is prohibited – and more than one in ten report carrying child passengers, while almost one in ten carry adult passengers.

Nearly one in four regular e-scooter riders (24%) say they have been involved in a collision while one in three (32%) have experienced a near miss.

The RSA said that since the introduction of e-scooter legislation in May 2024, which made their use on Irish roads legal if certain requirements are met, hospitals have seen a rise in serious injuries among young riders.

Chief executive of the RSA Sam Waide said the findings were “deeply concerning”.

“E-scooters are not toys — they are powerful motorised vehicles and the risks for children are severe.

“Our message is simple: if your child is under 16, an e-scooter is not a suitable or legal gift.

“This campaign is about protecting children from preventable harm and ensuring every parent understands the potential consequences.”