Big jump in e-scooter, e-bike injuries the last four years, CPSC finds
CBSN
It's a good idea to wear a helmet when taking a spin on electric scooters, electric bikes, hoverboards and other so-called micro-mobility products. That's because injuries stemming from their use spiked 70% over the past four years, spurring nearly 200,000 emergency room visits, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Viewed as eco-friendly (studies have found that's not exactly the case) and cost-effective modes of transportation for short distances, the battery-powered products were part of the equation in more than 190,000 E.R. visits and at least 71 deaths from 2017 through 2020, according to the federal agency.
Injuries involving the products have steadily risen, causing 34,000 trips to the hospital in 2017 and 57,800 last year, the CPSC noted in a recent release highlighting data from a not-yet-released report.
On May 7, health influencer Paul Saladino, M.D.. posted a video to his X account that promoted feeding "raw dairy" to infants. The post received over 90,000 views and sparked strong backlash before it was removed the following day. Saladino regularly advocates for "animal-based" diets featuring raw milk, including on his TikTok channel where he has over half a million followers.
Everywhere you look, things are getting more complicated. Our phones have over a thousand settings. Showerheads come with apps. Cars have touchscreens. Ovens have touchscreens. "There's no doubt that 'featuritis' is real," said design consultant Jakob Nielsen. "Most of these things are too complicated."
New research is adding to the evidence linking ultra-processed foods to health concerns. The study tracked people's habits over 30 years and found those who reported eating more of certain ultra-processed foods had a slightly higher risk of death — with four categories of foods found to be the biggest culprits.