Electric Scooter Accidents Surge in 2026 as Assuta Ashdod Treats Five Victims
Assuta Ashdod Hospital treated five electric scooter accident victims over the weekend as national data reveals a 92% surge in micro-mobility fatalities in 2026, making it the deadliest year on record for riders.
Assuta Ashdod Hospital admitted five electric scooter accident victims over the weekend, highlighting a broader nationwide surge in severe micro-mobility accidents. Data from the Or Yarok association indicates that 25 people have been killed in electric bicycle and scooter accidents since the beginning of 2026, marking a 92% increase compared to 13 fatalities during the same period last year.
One of the patients hospitalized at Assuta Ashdod over the weekend suffered chest trauma and suspected pulmonary injury before being discharged. Hospital officials report a 57% increase in scooter-related injuries requiring hospitalization or surgery during the first ten months of the year.
According to Or Yarok figures, 15 electric scooter riders have died since the start of 2026, compared to seven fatalities recorded across the entirety of 2025, making it the deadliest year on record for riders. Additionally, ten electric bicycle riders have lost their lives this year, up from six in the corresponding period of 2025.
Yaniv Yaakov, CEO of Or Yarok, sharply criticized the Ministry of Transportation over the rising death toll. "The grim data for 2026 is alarming and points to a major failure by the Ministry of Transportation and Road Safety," Yaakov stated, blaming years of governmental indifference for the crisis.
Yaakov urged authorities to launch a nationwide initiative combining safety awareness campaigns, intensified police and municipal enforcement, and the construction of separated, secure bike lanes. He asserted that the transportation minister has repeatedly avoided approving a comprehensive national safety plan throughout her term.
Medical experts at the hospital warned of the severe dangers associated with micro-mobility vehicles. Dr. Asher Fein, a senior trauma and emergency surgeon at Assuta Ashdod, noted that physicians frequently treat riders for fractures, severe head trauma, cerebral hemorrhages, and internal organ damage. "This vehicle may look harmless, but it can kill," Fein said, emphasizing the vital importance of wearing helmets, maintaining equipment, and adhering to legal age limits.
