Road Safety (E-Scooters)

Electric kick scooters (e-scooters) are a fun and convenient form of micromobility. They 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 rules around riding e-scooters in British Columbia?

In 2021, the province of British Columbia (BC) piloted 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.¹

These restrictions include the following:

• Riding in a municipality that is participating in the pilot project;
• Using an e-scooter that meets certain requirements, including having handlebars for steering and front and rear lights;
• Only individuals 16-years-old and older may ride an e-scooter;
• 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?

BC follows national standards for health data reporting, and the option to code e-scooter-related injuries was introduced in 2022. New codes are updated every three years. Broadly, only hospitalization data are available, and they only capture falls from e-scooters. A coding guideline was made effective in early 2025 to include e-scooter incidents involving others, including bikes, pedestrians, and motor vehicles, but adopting new procedures takes time to train and implement across all hospitals. This results in a minimum one-year lag for accessing data. Some trauma units are collecting data but these are the most severe cases. Reporting on data at this time would be likely be an underrepresentation of the total number of injuries.

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 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.

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 year of data (cases from April 1, 2024-March 30, 2025) were provided to MoTT in May 2025, 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.