As students head back to class, the rules around electric bikes and scooters are changing.

Katy ISD is changing its rules around student use of electric bikes and scooters. Clear Creek ISD prohibits motorized and electric vehicles, including e-bikes and electric scooters, on school sidewalks and campus grounds. While other districts also routinely address the safety concerns surrounding the use of these vehicles.

Doctors and rehabilitation specialists at Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital – Katy say the issue isn't just the electric vehicles but the lack of helmets.

“Helmet non-compliance remains a critical primary prevention issue. The most common line I hear from riders or parents is: ‘We were just going a block down the street.’” said rehabilitation nurse, Yoshiaki Yoshida, Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital-Katy. “In reality, traumatic brain injury (TBI) does not require high speeds or long distances. A fall at complete stop or at five to ten mph close to home can impart enough force to cause severe intracranial bleeding, skull fractures, or catastrophic brain shear. Your head hits the pavement with the exact same gravity whether you were riding 10 miles or 100 feet.”

MH Katy Rehab estimates they treat about ten patients a year with a TBI from bicycle and motorcycle related accidents, while TIRR Memorial Hermann and Memorial Hermann Hospital-TMC treat even more.

In children, head trauma doesn't just disrupt current skills, it can put a pause or a permanent ceiling on their growth.

Even a mild concussion creates metabolic distress, leading to brain fog, headaches, mood swings, and light sensitivity, according to Yoshida. Returning to school or sports too quickly can stall healing for months.

Yoshida said simply throwing on a helmet isn't enough; it must fit correctly. A loose helmet, or one worn tilted back off the forehead, shifts on impact and leaves vulnerable areas like the frontal lobe exposed. A well-fitting helmet sits level, roughly two finger-widths above the eyebrows, with side straps forming a snug "V" under the ears.

“We recommend helmets that at least have CPSC certification but advocate the use of safer, higher quality helmets that have MIPS technology (to reduce rotational forces on the brain) and/or are tested and rated favorably by the Virginia Tech Health Lab on their safety performance,” Yoshida said.


While a lack of helmets is a massive concern, it isn’t the only problem

“We also see serious incidents driven by improper bicycle or e-scooter fit, neglected mechanical integrity, and younger riders operating high-powered e-bikes well beyond their skill level or maturity,” she said.

E-bikes and e-scooters are not toys.

When parents buy these online, three critical mistakes happen:

1. Buying for kids to "grow into:” If a child can’t touch the ground with both feet or comfortably reach the controls, they lose emergency leverage. On a 50+ lb e-bike, that means instant tipping during sudden stops.

2. Too much power for developing brains: Young riders under 16 often lack the spatial judgement and reaction speed needed for 20+ mph instant torque. At those speeds, a split-second miscalculation leads directly to high-impact trauma.

3. The "direct-from-box" assembly trap: Online bikes assembled at home without a professional check regularly have loose steering headsets and improperly adjusted brakes. At 25 mph, a loose stem or failing brake is a recipe for a catastrophic crash.

The takeaway: Match the bike’s speed to your child’s cognitive maturity, ensure their feet reach the ground, and have a qualified bike mechanic perform a safety check before they ever take it on the road.

The real rehabilitation consequences

Yoshida said as a rehabilitation nurse, "I see the long-term, life-altering reality of severe bicycle and scooter crashes when a helmet wasn't worn."

· Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and shearing: Leading to long-term memory loss, executive dysfunction, and changes in personality or motor control.

· Prolonged rehabilitation: Weeks or months of intensive physical, occupational, and speech therapy to regain basic functional abilities like walking or talking.

· Head trauma and fractures: A severe crash that causes a traumatic brain bleed might require emergency neurosurgery to help relief pressure to save brain tissue and function.

The bottom line is that equipment size, maintenance, and rider judgment all dictate whether you stay upright—but a proper helmet dictates how you walk away.