More than 20 children treated for serious brain injuries linked to e-scooter crashes in the past year, with hospital admissions continuing to rise.
The Road Safety Authority and Children’s Health Ireland have launched a renewed warning to parents not to buy e-scooters for children under 18, saying the vehicles can cause severe and lasting injuries. The campaign comes as Ireland tightens the rules around e-scooter use, including a minimum age of 18 and requirements for helmets and high-visibility clothing.
At the centre of the appeal is Dr Irwin Gill, a consultant paediatrician at Children’s Health Ireland, who says he has treated more than 20 children over the past year for serious brain injuries linked to e-scooter crashes and falls. He said the average hospital stay for those patients was 19 days and warned that some of the injuries could have lifelong consequences. His message to families was blunt: do not buy an e-scooter for anyone under 18.
The warning is being backed by the RSA, which says the law is now clear that children should not be riding e-scooters. Nuala Carey, the authority’s director of partnerships and external affairs, said the evidence from hospital clinicians shows how quickly a crash can turn into a major trauma case. She urged parents and guardians to treat e-scooters as vehicles, not gifts, and not to put a child’s safety at risk for the sake of convenience or novelty.
The campaign also reflects a broader rise in injuries. Children’s Health Ireland said e-scooters are now the leading cause of traumatic brain injury among children admitted to its neurosurgery and rehabilitation services at Temple Street, with admissions climbing from 12 between June 2024 and May 2025 to 18 in the following 12 months. The hospital said the cases it is seeing can require long-term rehabilitation and continuing support.
That trend is mirrored in wider accident data. The RSA’s National Survey on E-Scooter Usage and Attitudes found a sharp increase in collisions and falls, with motorised vehicles involved in two-thirds of reported incidents and more than half of those injured requiring hospital treatment. The authority is also preparing for further legal changes, including licensing, registration and tighter controls on sales, including a ban on selling e-scooters to minors and restrictions on models that do not meet safety standards.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
