2061 Trends and Outcomes of Electric and Mechanical Bike and Scooter Accidents in an Urban Center

INTRODUCTION: The rising use of personal mobility devices (PMDs) such as mechanical and electric bikes and scooters in urban centers around the world has transformed the public transportation landscape in many cities. We performed a study to assess characteristics, neurologic injury, and outcomes of patients involved in PMD accidents over a five-year period in Manhattan. METHODS: We performed a five-year retrospective cohort study of all patients that presented to a level-1 trauma center from 2018 to 2023 with an associated PMD accident. RESULTS: A total of 914 patients presented following a PMD accident between 2018 and 2023. The number of patients presenting with PMD related trauma increased over time, as well as the proportion of patients using electric PMDs compared to mechanical.Individuals on electric PMDs were more likely to wear a helmet (30% vs 22.9%, p=0.0197). Individuals on mechanical PMDs were more likely to sustain a head injury (50.9% vs 42.6%, p=0.0177) and were more likely to be admitted to the hospital (70.5% vs 62.4%, p=0.0129). Electric bike riders had a higher average GCS on arrival compared to mechanical bike riders (14.8 vs 14.2, p=0.039). The most common mechanism of injury involved a bike rider being hit by a car. CONCLUSIONS: Patients riding mechanical bikes presented with more serious neurologic injuries when compared to individuals on electric bikes. The most common presentation was following a bike being hit by a car. This study allows us to identify locations, times, patterns, and presenting characteristics that are associated with more severe outcomes and enables us to enact public safety measures to improve urban transportation safety in the future.