The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) reported a sharp increase in emergency-room visits for injuries involving electric bikes and electric scooters.
This trend highlights a growing public safety concern as under-age riders increasingly use high-powered, adult-sized equipment without adequate speed restrictions or safety precautions.
Data released this week indicates that emergency-room visits for e-bike injuries in Ottawa have more than doubled [1]. Additionally, injuries involving private electric scooters in the city have risen by 50 percent [2]. City officials, including Ottawa city councillor Tim Tierney and Bike Ottawa board member Rob Attrell, are monitoring the situation as the city grapples with the rise of micromobility.
Local officials said the increase is driven by the use of powerful vehicles by minors and a lack of speed limits on private scooters. These factors contribute to more severe crashes and a higher volume of traumatic injuries.
The situation in Ottawa reflects a broader trend across North America. In South Florida, the Memorial Healthcare System reported a 178 percent surge in e-bike and e-scooter injuries [3].
Severe outcomes are also being documented in clinical studies. A report from NYU Langone Health found that brain and spine injuries now account for nearly seven percent of all e-bike and e-scooter related injuries [4]. Other data indicates a significant upward trend in injury rates between 2019 and 2022 [5].
City representatives said the lack of regulation on private devices makes it difficult to ensure rider safety. While shared scooter programs often have built-in speed governors, private models can reach speeds that are dangerous for inexperienced or young riders.
“Emergency-room visits for e-bike injuries in Ottawa have more than doubled”
The rise in pediatric and adolescent injuries suggests that the rapid adoption of high-performance micromobility technology has outpaced current safety regulations and urban infrastructure. The disparity between regulated shared scooters and unregulated private devices creates a safety gap that may require new municipal bylaws or stricter age-based restrictions on vehicle power.
