Over the past 11 weeks, 157 injured e-scooter riders have sought treatment at medical facilities in Lviv. According to doctors, more than half of those injured are children.
Of all those injured, 80 are children and 77 are adults. Some people made their own way to hospital, while others were brought in by emergency medical teams.
Forty-nine patients required hospitalisation, including 46 children. Doctors stress that a significant number of such cases could have been avoided if safety rules had been followed and protective equipment used.
Medical professionals are urging parents not to allow children to use e-scooters without a helmet, adult supervision, adherence to a safe speed and compliance with the Highway Code.
Earlier, Lviv tightened the rules for using e-scooters and other micromobility devices. The new requirements include a minimum user age of 16, mandatory wearing of protective helmets, a speed limit of 15 km/h in potentially hazardous areas, as well as regulated parking for such devices.
The city council explains that the additional safety measures were introduced due to the rising number of injuries associated with e-scooter use, especially among children.