E-Scooter Accidents Surge 60% as ER Doctors Demand Night Ban

Emergency room doctors in Antwerp are demanding an immediate night-time ban on e-scooters after accident victims surged by 60% in just three to four years, putting mounting strain on hospital emergency services. Medical professionals say the government has debated long enough and must now act to protect riders from themselves.

The Escalating Crisis

The Ziekenhuis aan de Stroom (ZAS), the largest healthcare organization in Belgium with 16 locations across Antwerp, has been systematically tracking e-scooter accident data for over 1.5 years. The numbers are stark: from three patients per day in 2022-2023, the hospital now treats five patients daily — a 60% increase. In total, ZAS has treated 1,580 e-scooter accident victims over the past year and a half, according to HLN.

Half of all victims leave the hospital unable to work. Six patients have suffered permanent injuries, and one has died.

Night-Time: A Deadly Combination

Dr. Brecht De Tavernier, an emergency physician at ZAS, told reporters that night-time injuries are significantly more severe than those occurring during the day. Many riders are under the influence of alcohol or drugs when they mount the scooters.

“They don’t realize what they’re doing when they get on that scooter under the influence,” Dr. De Tavernier said. “What goes through my mind then? That it doesn’t have to be this way. This is perfectly preventable.”

During the day, accidents typically result in sprains or fractures to arms and wrists, as riders instinctively throw their hands forward when falling. But at night, alcohol impairs reaction times, leading to catastrophic head injuries — skull fractures, brain hemorrhages, and severe facial fractures. Two months ago, Dr. De Tavernier treated a man in his forties who had fallen drunk from an e-scooter and suffered a brain hemorrhage.

The Helsinki Model

Doctors point to Helsinki, Finland, as proof that decisive action works. In September 2021, the Finnish capital introduced a comprehensive package of measures: a night-time ban on commercial e-scooters between midnight and 5 AM on weekends, a mandatory helmet requirement, and reduced speed limits. The result, as VRT NWS reported, was a dramatic 89% reduction in patients with severe facial fractures.

What Doctors Are Demanding

Dr. De Tavernier and his colleagues are calling for three specific measures:

1. A night-time ban on e-scooters between midnight and 5 AM, targeting the period when alcohol-related accidents spike
2. Mandatory helmet use, preferably full-face motorcycle helmets that protect the jaw and teeth — not just standard bicycle helmets
3. Reduced speed limits, lowering the current maximum of 25 km/h to 20 km/h

“Year after year, e-scooters drive more patients to the ER,” Dr. De Tavernier said. “There has been enough debate now. The government must take measures to protect riders from themselves.”

Current Regulations Falling Short

Belgium’s current Road Code, updated in July 2022, sets a minimum age of 16, a maximum speed of 25 km/h, and prohibits riding with two people on one scooter. However, enforcement is weak, and helmets remain voluntary. The VRT NWS reported mixed reactions from Antwerp residents when doctors first proposed a helmet mandate in June 2025, with many shared-scooter users arguing that carrying a helmet is impractical.

Werner De Dobbeleer of the Flemish Foundation for Traffic Knowledge (VSV) noted that accident data remains incomplete. “There is still too little known about the circumstances in which these accidents happen and what the causes are,” he told VRT NWS. “The under-registration of accidents is very large and that is a problem.”

Broader European Context

Belgium is not alone in grappling with e-scooter safety. The Netherlands has banned e-scooters from public roads entirely. Cities across Spain, France, and Greece have introduced various restrictions, from speed limits to parking bans. But the Helsinki model stands out as the most successful example of a comprehensive regulatory approach.

What’s Next?

As of publication, there has been no official response from the Belgian federal or Flemish government to the ER doctors’ renewed call for action. The night ban proposal appears aimed primarily at commercial shared scooters, which can be remotely disabled by operators. Private e-scooters would present a greater enforcement challenge.

Dr. De Tavernier remains frustrated that previous warnings — first raised during a scientific study in 2022-2023 and again publicly in June 2025 — have not led to concrete policy changes. With accident numbers continuing to climb and emergency services under growing strain, the question is whether policymakers will finally act or whether the debate will continue without results.

For now, the message from Antwerp’s emergency rooms is clear: enough debate. The time for action is now.