Harborview Medical Center reports a surge of accidents involving two-wheel vehicles

Trying to ride down this stairway on May 10 resulted in a crash with injuries for Yann Gorbatov.
Photo courtesy UW Medicine

Harborview Medical Center reports a surge of accidents involving two-wheel vehicles, many driven by people not wearing a helmet.

Yann Gorbatov is like many 13-year-old boys: He loves playing basketball, hanging out with friends and testing the limits of his electric bicycle. 

On May 10, 2025 while trying to ride down a tall neighborhood stairway, he crashed. The accident left him hospitalized with broken bones and other internal injuries.

Yann’s story underscores a growing concern: the surge in injuries related to e-bikes and e-scooters, especially among children. Dr. Beth Ebel, a UW Medicine pediatrician at Harborview Medical Center, says the rise in accidents is alarming.

“We’ve seen increases of almost 36% from last year,” according to Ebel, who is also a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. “And I would expect that we’re going to see higher numbers this year.”

Yann would have been even more seriously injured had he not been wearing a helmet.

Learn more of his story here. You can also find bike and helmet safety tips here.