Collision Course: The Rising Dangers of E-Scooters and One Patient's Life-Changing Accident

The headlines are becoming all too familiar: a 13-year-old boy killed in a collision with a truck in Scotch Plains, NJ; two teenage girls on an e-bike struck and killed in Cranford, NJ. In New York City, deaths from e-bikes and e-scooters now outnumber those from traditional bicycles. These recent tragedies highlight a growing concern about safety, a particularly hot topic in New Jersey, where one of the strictest laws in the country will go into effect this July requiring licensing, registration, and insurance for e-bike and e-scooter riders while also setting the minimum age at 15 years old. In the last year, New York City also passed regulations limiting the speed of e-bikes to 15 miles per hour, due to the growing number of e-bike accidents.

The laws put the spotlight on the story of people like Tram Huynh, a tourist who learned firsthand just how quickly a fun e-bike ride can take a dangerous turn.

One moment she was gliding along, the next she was on the ground with a severely injured ankle. Her idyllic day had taken a painful detour. Desperate and far from her California home, Tram made her way to Hackensack Meridian Palisades Medical Center for care.

Growing Trend of E-Bike Accidents

Tram's injury is a familiar story for emergency departments. Studies show that e-scooter travel carries a risk of injury more than three times that of bicycling. Head injuries are particularly common in scooter crashes, occurring in 46% of cases, partly because helmet use is alarmingly low - only about 4% among injured riders in one study. The problem is so bad, electric bike and scooter bans or strict regulations, like those in New Jersey, are increasing across the U.S. in 2026, driven by a surge in accidents, injuries, and fatalities.

"We're seeing a clear rise in serious e-scooter injuries, from severe fractures to significant head trauma,” says Kevin Chen, M.D., a Hackensack Meridian orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist.

A Patient Inspired To Care

"From the first encounter at Palisades Medical Center, I felt safe and comfortable despite being in pain," said Tram. That feeling grew when she met with Dr. Chen. An instant trust was established, which proved vital when imaging revealed a clean break that would require surgery.

Dr. Chen carefully explained all of Tram's options, never pressuring her toward one decision. Initially, she planned to fly back to her home on the West Coast for the operation. However, the confidence she had in Dr. Chen and the remarkable kindness she received from the Palisades team changed her mind. "They made me feel like more than just a patient. That kind of trust and compassion is hard to come by," she said. She had the surgery at Palisades the very next day.

That dedication to her care didn't end when she left the hospital. Even after she returned to California, Dr. Chen stayed in touch, checking on her recovery and consulting with her physician on the West Coast.

Today, Tram has made a full recovery and is back to enjoying cycling and jogging - though she's sworn off e-scooters for good. But the impact of her accident went far beyond her physical healing. Though she had long planned to enter medicine as a physician assistant, her experience with Dr. Chen sparked an unexpected and greater ambition. Her experience with Dr. Chen, she said, transformed her path, redirecting a passion for medicine she already carried into a bold new direction.

This fall, Tram will start medical school, inspired to pursue a career in orthopedics. Her painful fall led her down an unexpected path—one that brought her to the right care team at the right time and ultimately, to her true calling.

“Seeing Tram make a full recovery and develop a genuine interest in medicine has been very rewarding,” says Dr. Chen. “She brings valuable perspective to the field.”

As the spring season brings more people outdoors, it’s a reminder that accidents can happen. Should your own adventure take an unexpected turn, know that the expert, compassionate teams at Hackensack Meridian Health will be there for you, too.