Road Safety (E-Scooters)

Electric kick scooters (e-scooters) are growing increasingly popular all around the world, and are a sustainable form of transportation. E-scooter riders are considered vulnerable road users, and there are steps that both riders and motor vehicle occupants can take to reduce the risk of injury.

What are the benefits to riding an e-scooter?

E-scooters are a fun and convenient form of micromobility. They encourage independence, they can reduce congestion on roads, get people around more quickly, and have a lower impact on the environment.

What are the rules around riding e-scooters in British Columbia?

The province of British Columbia (BC) is currently piloting the use of e-scooters in participating communities. Although a licence is not required, there are some restrictions on who can ride an e-scooter and where.

These restrictions include the following:

• Riding in a municipality that is participating in the pilot project;
• Only individuals 16-years-old and older may ride an e-scooter;
• Using an e-scooter that meets certain requirements, including having handlebars for steering and front and rear lights;
• Keeping travelling speed to under 25 km/h;
• Mandatory use of a helmet when riding;
• Not being under the influence of alcohol or drugs while riding; and
• Having only one rider at a time.

Participating municipalities are allowed to set their own rules (e.g., whether they allow the use of shared e-scooters).

How many people are getting injured while riding e-scooters?

The current hospitalization data are likely to be an underestimate of the number and cause of e-scooter injuries. This is because when e-scooters were introduced in BC, there was no way to identify an e-scooter-related injury using the data coding system for emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Prior to 2022, these injuries were coded using generic codes for either a fall, for a transport/motor vehicle incident grouped with injuries involving other types of scooters, or as a pedestrian injury. In recent years, coding for e-scooter related injuries was introduced; however, it takes time to adopt new injury coding practices across hospitals. While trauma centres collect data on e-scooter injuries, these reflect the most severe incidents and therefore are an underrepresentation of the total number of injuries.

However, e-scooter injuries can be identified in the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) data if indicated by parents or caregivers during the visit to the CHIRPP hospital sites (BC Children’s Hospital and Kelowna General Hospital).

Data were recently analyzed for visits to BC Children's Hospital Emergency Department (ED) for e-scooter injuries among children and youth under 17 years of age, from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026:

• There were 81 visits to the BC Children's Hospital ED. This is an increase from the previous year, which saw 37 incidents
• 82% were from a fall from an e-scooter; 15% of the incidents occurred in traffic
• The highest proportion of ED visits were for children aged 13 to 15 (54%)
• Of those patients who mentioned helmet use, only half reported wearing a helmet at the time of injury
• Of those cases where information on speed limit was reported, more than half (59%) were travelling over the allowable speed limit of 25 km/h
• Injuries sustained: 35% had a fracture, 26% had bruises and abrasions, 17% had concussion/mild brain injury

Download our information sheet on e-scooter safety for children and youth (PDF).

What are common e-scooter injuries?

When riding an e-scooter, common areas of the body that can be injured include the head/face, and arms and legs. Causes of injury include falls, speeding, distraction, riding under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, and not following the rules of the road.

How do e-scooters differ from bikes?

E-scooters and e-bikes can travel faster than push scooters and pedal bikes. The faster you are going, the longer it takes you to stop, which could result in a higher velocity impact and more severe injury.

E-scooters have a higher centre of gravity than bikes. When someone falls off an e-scooter, they tend to fall forward over the handlebars, putting them at risk for head and facial injuries. An e-scooter's small wheels also make them vulnerable to bumps, rocks, and potholes on the road.

How can I prevent e-scooter injuries?

Know who should ride.  

• Children under 16-years-old should not be riding an e-scooter.
• Only have one person riding at a time (no doubling).

Know how to ride.  

• Wear a helmet.
• Do not ride above the maximum allowable speed limit of 25 km/h, even if your e-scooter can reach higher speeds.
• Practice riding on small streets before riding on busy roads.
• Obey traffic signs and rules of the road.
• Know your hand signals.

Know where to ride.  

• Ensure you follow the riding rules of the municipality where you are located.
• Do not ride on the sidewalk.
• Ride in a designated bike lane, if it exists.
• Keep to the far right of the road, and slow down if sharing a path with people walking, running, or others riding on bikes, scooters, and other devices.
• Choose a route with less traffic.
• Do not ride on roads or shoulder if the posted speed limit is above 50 km/hr (e.g., the highway).
• Be aware of uneven or cracked pavement, as e-scooter wheels do not maneuver over these minor hazards as easily as a bicycle tire.

Know when to ride.

• Do not ride while distracted by your cellphone or other electronic devices.
• Do not ride under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Consider a different mode of transportation if it’s dark, snowy, or icy.

Maintain your ride.

• Keep your e-scooter in good working order, inspecting and replacing the brakes, bells, and lights regularly.
• Use manufacturer-approved materials and batteries and charger.
• The Government of BC has a handy guide (PDF) with things to look for when buying an e-scooter.

RESEARCH

E-scooter pilot review (2024-)

BCIRPU is working to provide the Ministry of Transportation and Transit (MoTT) with BC Children’s Hospital data related to e-scooters on an annual basis from now until 2028. The first two years of data have been provided to MoTT, and included the following variables: date and time of injury, sex, location, area, place, postal code, nature of injury, body part affected, safety equipment, and disposition. Learn more about this project on the BC Government website.