Doctors at the Emergency County Hospital in Bacău are warning of a sharp increase in injuries caused by electric scooter accidents, with children and teenagers accounting for the majority of victims treated during the first half of the year.
According to figures released by the hospital, the Emergency Department (UPU) treated 37 patients injured in electric scooter accidents since the beginning of the year. Of those, 27 were children and 10 were adults.
Hospital officials said most accidents resulted from riders losing control of their scooters due to excessive speed, falls or collisions with motor vehicles. Physicians warned that the failure to wear protective helmets and reckless behavior in traffic significantly increase the risk of severe injuries.
The head of the hospital’s Orthopedics and Traumatology Department, Dr. Radu Panfil, said the number of scooter-related injuries has been rising steadily.
„The Orthopedics and Traumatology Unit at the Emergency Department is seeing a continuous and alarming increase in bone and joint injuries caused by electric scooter accidents. While some patients suffer bruises, sprains or minor fractures that can be treated on an outpatient basis, others require surgery and hospitalization,” Panfil said.
The most common injuries affect the knees, lower legs, ankles, forearms and shoulders. Around 10 patients required orthopedic surgery during the first six months of the year.
Hospital officials said approximately one-third of all patients admitted after scooter accidents required hospitalization, many suffering severe head injuries, skull fractures, broken ribs or fractured limbs.
Six patients required specialized treatment in the hospital’s Neurosurgery Department.
„We frequently deal with these cases, particularly during emergency shifts. Most are minors who arrive in the operating room with serious head or spinal injuries. Many were not wearing helmets, and some were riding two people on the same scooter despite this being prohibited by law. Parents also need to be aware of the risks,” said Dr. Vlad Buburuzan, head of the Neurosurgery Department.
Recovery periods were often lengthy. Adult patients who underwent surgery required extended rehabilitation, home monitoring, follow-up examinations and imaging tests.
Children typically missed at least two weeks of school, were advised to avoid sports for about a month and were instructed to limit activities that place strain on the brain, including prolonged use of mobile phones and television.
Hospital manager Ion-Marius Savin said every accident represents a tragedy for families and places considerable pressure on medical teams.
He urged parents not to treat electric scooters as toys and to ensure children always wear helmets and appropriate protective equipment. He also called on young riders to respect traffic regulations, warning that excessive speed and reckless behavior can have irreversible consequences.
„The best medical treatment is always prevention,” the hospital’s management said, warning that the number of electric scooter accidents continues to rise and calling for greater responsibility from all road users.
