Back to School: Campuses putting restrictions on e-bikes, scooters as doctors see rise in injuries

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- As electric bikes and scooters become more common on Central California roads, trauma doctors say the injuries they're treating are becoming far more severe.

At Valley Children's Hospital, doctors report seeing a growing number of young riders arriving with life-threatening injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, broken bones and internal bleeding.

"Kids and teenagers are getting worse injuries, facial injuries, very bad head injuries, a lot of bone injuries and then they'll get internal abdominal, so internal bleeding injuries as well, and they're just much worse than we used to see on regular bikes," says Valley Children's Trauma Medical Director Dr. Shannon Castle.

The consequences can be devastating.

In July, a 15-year-old Sunnyside High School student died after an e-scooter crash while leaving football practice.

His death is one of several serious crashes involving young riders that ABC30 has covered this year, underscoring growing concerns as students head back to school.

Concerned about safety risks, Fresno State is taking one of the most aggressive steps in the region.

Beginning this fall, electric scooters, e-bikes and other motorized personal transportation devices will be prohibited on campus.

University officials say the move is aimed at reducing conflicts between riders, pedestrians, and vehicles, while improving safety across campus.

"Students are going to be able to not have to worry about that electric bike or scooter just zooming past and them not seeing them, as well as having faculty driving our own vehicles, having to back up and then also we have a student going 20 miles per hour," says Cesar Aranibar with Fresno State.

Under the new policy, motorized vehicles found in use on campus will be confiscated by Traffic Operations.

The university said ADA vehicles will be exempt from the ban, and non-motorized scooters, bikes and skateboards will still be allowed on campus.

"They're going to be way safer just using their own personal vehicle, which is their scooters, bikes, skateboards are not motorized," Aranibar said.

Schools are also taking action for younger students ahead of the school year.

Fresno State Transportation Institute partnered with Fresno Unified School District and the Fresno County Bicycle Coalition to host a summer bike academy to teach local students about safe bicycling and injury prevention.

With students returning to classrooms and campuses across the region, doctors say the message to families is simple: treat e-bikes and scooters like the powerful vehicles they are.

That means wearing a helmet every ride, following traffic laws and ensuring young riders understand the risks before getting on the road.

"If you're riding an e-bike or even traveling quickly on a normal pedal bicycle, you should be going with traffic," Dr. Castle said. "You should be in the bike lane when possible and following traffic rules so that you can be predictable to those drivers as well."

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