VANCOUVER- Along with the growing convenience and popularity of e-scooters, a sharp rise in related injuries has become a central issue in the upcoming municipal elections across British Columbia, including Metro Vancouver. Local leaders are urging the provincial government to establish uniform, province-wide safety regulations for e-scooter usage. Ambulance paramedics note that these vehicles can accelerate rapidly, and when riders lose control, they are often thrown onto roads or into other vehicles, significantly increasing the severity of injuries.
Although B.C. regulations prohibit anyone under the age of 16 from operating an e-scooter, violations among teenagers remain widespread. According to data from the Canadian Hospital Injury Reporting and Prevention Surveillance Program, 13-year-olds accounted for the highest proportion of emergency room visits for e-scooter crashes at 22 percent. At B.C. Children’s Hospital alone, 81 kids were treated for e-scooter-related injuries between April 2025 and 2026—more than double the number from the previous year.
Unlawful riding habits—such as riding without helmets, carrying passengers, operating while intoxicated, and riding on sidewalks—have become common across Metro Vancouver. Differing municipal regulations across communities create confusion for riders and parents alike, while seniors report that high-speed e-scooter traffic on sidewalks poses a major safety threat.
At the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention, the cities of Langley, New Westminster, and Nanaimo introduced resolutions calling on the province to modernize legislation and establish consistent safety standards. In response, the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Transit stated it will continue working with local governments to enhance road safety and ensure safe access to active transportation infrastructure.
