AAA is urging Nebraska and Iowa families to check helmet fit and the capabilities of electric bikes and scooters before allowing children to ride. The organization warns that some devices travel faster and require more skill than parents may realize.
AAA spokesperson Brian Ortner said families should understand how electric devices differ from conventional bicycles. “Many parents see e-bikes and e-scooters as just another version of a bicycle, but some of these devices can reach much higher speeds,” Ortner said in a news release. “With higher speeds come greater risks.”
In a survey highlighted by AAA Monday, 66% of adults surveyed said they had seen children riding e-bikes or e-scooters without helmets. Fifty-nine percent believed too few riders wear helmets, while 83% supported helmet requirements.
Pediatric surgeon Dr. Jade Kumar described the injuries doctors encounter in a recording provided by AAA. “We’ll see kids that come in, the worst being brain injuries, bleeding around the brain, skull fractures, swelling around the brain, things that we can’t really fix,” Kumar said.
While doctors can repair broken bones and provide treatment to support recovery, Kumar said brain injuries present different challenges. “For the brain itself, that’s just something that has to heal on its own,” she said. “And if it’s not protected up front, it’s too late to say I should have worn a helmet at that point.”
Choosing the Right Helmet
AAA recommends a properly fitted, securely fastened helmet on every ride, regardless of distance. Parents should check the certification label inside the helmet, choose protection appropriate for the device and replace any helmet involved in a crash.
Ortner said families should not assume all helmets offer the same protection. “One of the biggest misconceptions is that any helmet provides the same level of protection,” he said. “The faster the device, the more important it becomes to choose a helmet designed