Some of the children injured in e-scooter accidents will require 24 hour care for the rest of their lives, a consultant in emergency medicine has said. 

Between June 2025 and May 2026, 18 children were recorded as requiring hospitalisation because of e-scooter accidents. 

However, in the past six weeks since then, a further seven have been admitted. 

Children under the age of 16 are already banned from using the devices, but the Department of Transport has said it is “seriously considering” an outright ban. 

In response to questioning in the Dáil, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he is now "leaning towards" a full ban as well.

On Lunchtime Live, retired consultant in emergency medicine Dr Chris Luke said families need to understand the devastating consequences of e-scooter accidents. 

“We're told by the neurosurgeons that when, typically the child from anywhere between 10 and 16, 17, hits a pothole or the edge of a curb or a manhole cover with the e-scooter, they are catapulted forward by four, five, six, seven metres, and they may hit an oncoming vehicle,” he explained. 

“They may hit a bollard or the curb; so, it all depends on the force with which they're thrown off the vehicle. 

“But suffice it to say, if you're thrown more than a metre or two, you're going to do severe damage to your head - typically, to your face.”

Dr Luke continued that if a child hits their jaw at speed on the surface of the road or another hard object they “may never be able to eat properly again”. 

“Their jaws may be permanently damaged and they'll have pain in chewing or eating,” he said. 

“That's, of course, if they recover from the head injury.

“The neurosurgeons are on public record in the last couple of weeks saying that most of the intensive care unit victims, the children, will not recover.”

Even if they survive, many will need 24 hour care for the rest of their lives. 

“Sadly, what often happens is that even if the child lives, that they are left with the inability to speak, inability to swallow, inability to look after themselves, they become totally dependent on 24 hour day care,” he said. 

“Or they might make some progress with occupational therapy and weeks or so as inpatients in the rehabilitation centre.”

Main image: An e-scooter user in the park. Picture by: Alamy.com.