Segway Scooter Accidents and Injuries Becoming More Common: Report
Following the death of the owner of the Segway company last week in a tragic accident, U.S. researchers have released a new study that highlights the risk of injury, particularly a traumatic head injury, that can occur as a result of the use of the motorized scooters.
On September 26, the body of Jim Heselden, 62, owner of the company that makes the Segway motorized scooter, was found in a river in northern England. It is believed that he died as a result of a Segway accident when his scooter went off a cliff. The next day a study was published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine medical journal highlighting the increasing number of Segway injuries (pdf) that require emergency room treatment.
Researchers from the Department of Emergency Medicine at George Washington University in D.C. looked at 41 cases of injuries from Segway scooter accidents recorded in hospital registries from April 2005 through November 2008. They found that the number of injuries is growing as more Segways are sold and that the most common and serious injuries are traumatic head injuries.
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Learn MoreSegway scooters are controlled by a software-guided network of sensors and control systems. It is designed to detect changes in terrain and body position.
Researchers said that only seven of the 41 patients were wearing a helmet at the time of the accidents, as there are no laws requiring people to wear helmets while riding the motorized scooters.
Traumatic brain injury is one of the leading causes of death and permanent disability world wide, with 1.4 to 1.7 million people suffering a traumatic brain injury each year. Such injuries often result in a victim requiring extensive medical treatment and permanent around-the-clock care.
The researchers said that the severity of accidents and injuries on the scooters is significant, and suggest that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) further investigate Segway injury risks.
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2 Comments
OlafOctober 13, 2010 at 3:08 pm
As a former tour owner and daily driver I have to agree: wear helmet!! If you are a beginner you should do so to safely approach the natural limits of the machine, if you are a pro going at machine´s limits you will from time to time experience "nealry crashes" like you will with every other machine on two wheels. The Segway is very safe if you now what you can do with it, but it´s not a flying ca[Show More]As a former tour owner and daily driver I have to agree: wear helmet!! If you are a beginner you should do so to safely approach the natural limits of the machine, if you are a pro going at machine´s limits you will from time to time experience "nealry crashes" like you will with every other machine on two wheels. The Segway is very safe if you now what you can do with it, but it´s not a flying carpet!
JoeOctober 5, 2010 at 6:02 pm
In the tragic death of Mr. Heselden, the Segway owner, he was simply riding his Segway too close to the cliff. It was not the Segway's fault; it was a fault in his judgement. These types of incidents just come down to personal responsibility. No transportation device - bicycle, motorcycle, scooter or a Segway - is built to keep you safe on a 30 foot plunge off a cliff. Also, if people don't wea[Show More]In the tragic death of Mr. Heselden, the Segway owner, he was simply riding his Segway too close to the cliff. It was not the Segway's fault; it was a fault in his judgement. These types of incidents just come down to personal responsibility. No transportation device - bicycle, motorcycle, scooter or a Segway - is built to keep you safe on a 30 foot plunge off a cliff. Also, if people don't wear helmets, well, that is also a lapse in judgment. Helmets should be worn, and I would say that for any transportation device, including bicycles.