E-Scooter and E-Bike Injuries on the Rise Across Ontario: What Riders Need to Know

Written By: Dale Orlando, Principal Partner, and Emma Funston-Clarke, Student-at-Law
5 Minute Read

E-scooters and e-bikes have quickly become popular ways to get around cities in Ontario.  They are convenient, affordable, and easy to use.  Still, their rapid growth has outpaced the safety rules designed to protect riders and pedestrians.  Hospitals are seeing a worrying increase in serious injuries.  According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), hospitalizations from e-scooter injuries have jumped 22% across Canada. [1]

This sharp increase raises an important question: are the convenient rides worth the growing risks?

What’s Legal (and What Isn’t) in Ontario

E-Scooters

On January 1, 2020, Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation (MTO) launched a pilot program under Ontario Regulation 389/19, allowing “electric kick-style scooters” (e-scooters) to be used on public roads but only in municipalities that choose to opt in through a local by-law.  Originally set to end in 2024, the pilot has been extended for another five years, meaning this 10-year program will continue until the end of the decade.  Under the regulation, it is illegal for anyone under 16 years old to ride or operate an e-scooter.

Rules for e-scooters and e-bikes vary across Ontario, depending on the municipality.  Cities like Ottawa and Oshawa allow e-scooters under local regulations requiring riders to be at least 16, wear helmets if under 18, and travel at speeds no greater than 24 km/h.  Sidewalk riding is prohibited.

In contrast, Toronto has chosen not to participate in the provincial e-scooter pilot due to safety concerns.  As a result, e-scooters are not allowed on any public roads, sidewalks, or bike paths within the city.  In simple terms, riding an e-scooter anywhere in Toronto is illegal.

E-Bikes

E-bikes are allowed on public roads in Toronto but not on sidewalks, and riders must always wear a helmet.  In Ontario, it is illegal for anyone under 16 years old to ride or operate an e-bike.

To legally ride an e-bike in Ontario, the rider must:

• Be at least 16 years old
• Wear an approved bicycle or motorcycle helmet
• Keep the e-bike in good working condition
• Follow the same rules of the road as other cyclists

E-bikes can be operated on:

• Most roads and highways where regular bicycles are permitted
• Bicycle lanes and cycling routes that allow e-bikes
• Multi-use trails or paths where e-bikes are permitted. [2]

For more information on traffic laws and safety requirements for e-bike users, see our previous blog, Are Electric Bikes Classified as Vehicles in Ontario? Understanding Legal Implications for Personal Injury Claims.

A Growing Concern for Hospitals

Hospitals in Toronto and across Ontario are seeing a sharp rise in injuries linked to e-scooters and e-bikes.  Between 2020 and 2024, St. Michael’s Hospital reported that trauma cases involving e-bikes jumped from 15 to 51, a 240% increase, while e-scooter injuries soared from 4 to 28, nearly a 600% rise. [3]

Children and youth are particularly at risk.  Dr. Suzanne Beno, a trauma and emergency physician at SickKids, notes that high speeds, lack of helmet use, young age, and interactions with motor vehicles all contribute to severe injuries in falls and collisions. [4]

Since 2020, the SickKids Hospital Trauma Registry has recorded a significant increase in serious injuries from battery-powered mobility devices.  Between 2021 and 2024, e-scooters alone made up 85% of these injuries. [5]

In June and July 2024 alone, the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) at SickKids found alarming trends among e-scooter injuries treated in the Emergency Department:

• E-scooters accounted for 85% of serious injuries from battery-powered devices.
• Nearly half of all injured riders were children aged 10 to 13.
• 81% of those injured were male.
• Helmet use did not always prevent head injuries. About 26% of cases involved head trauma, and 56% of injured riders were not wearing helmets.
• Almost one-third of injuries affected multiple parts of the body. [6]

In just two months, SickKids treated 16 e-scooter injuries, up from only five during the same period in 2023, highlighting a worrying upward trend. [7]

Types of Injuries

Children are increasingly arriving in emergency departments with broken bones, concussions, and other serious injuries, many of which could have been reduced or prevented with proper safety measures.

Injuries from e-scooters and e-bikes can range from minor scrapes to life-changing trauma including serious brain injuries and lower limb amputation.  The most common injuries affect the face, arms, and legs, but can also involve the head and spine.

Toronto-based emergency physician, Dr. Raghu Venugopal, emphasizes the severity of these cases:

As emergency physicians across the country, we’re seeing incredible injuries from e-scooters.  We’re needing to activate trauma teams, we’re needing different surgical specialists to come in and treat the multiple traumatic injuries.  We’re seeing collarbones shattered needing surgery, we’re seeing six to seven rib fractures in healthy people, we’re seeing ankles destroyed, needing surgery.  And we’re seeing internal bleeding in the brain. [8]

Why These Crashes Are Happening

No Helmets

One of the most significant predictors of severe brain injury is the lack of helmet use.  As hospitalizations from e-scooters continue to rise, doctors are raising alarms for riders, especially those without helmets.

Early data suggest that this lack of helmet use is making injuries more severe. [9]  Dr. Daniel Rosenfield, a pediatric emergency specialist at SickKids Hospital, notes that 80% of children are not wearing helmets while riding. [10]

Since Edmonton introduced e-scooters, Dr. Brian Rowe, an emergency physician who studies these injuries, has observed a significant rise in the number and severity of cases.  He reports that around 17% of e-scooter injuries involve the head, and helmet use among riders remains extremely low. [11]

Across Canada, helmet use among e-scooter riders remains extremely low, especially low among rental riders, where only about 1-2% wear a helmet. [12]  Even when helmets are provided, only around 10% of riders actually use them. [13]

Riding on Sidewalks

International studies indicate that riding on sidewalks is a significant cause of e-scooter injuries.    It endangers both riders and pedestrians and likely explains why many jurisdictions have banned both e-scooters and e-bikes from sidewalks. [14]

Inexperience

New riders often underestimate the power and speed of the devices, increasing the risk of falls and collisions.  While the exact role of inexperience is not clear from the data, Dr. Rowe notes that many riders are not used to handling the level of power and speed associated with e-scooters, which increases the risk of falls and crashes. [15]

High Speeds

Privately owned e-scooters can travel much faster than rental ones.

Ontario’s legislation limits e-scooter speeds to 24 km/h, yet many models advertised online can reach 40-50 km/h.  Speed limiters, when included, can often be bypassed with online instructions. [16]

Some riders cannot control their e-scooters at higher speeds, increasing the risk of losing balance, falling, or colliding with others. [17]

Dr. Venugopal warned that the most significant safety issue he observed with injuries is speed, and that patients with multiple serious injuries have told him they were keeping up with the cars. [18]

People’s faces are literally shattered … and when the bones in their face are shattered, it’s not going to be the same afterward. Users really need to pause and think about how fast they’re travelling in just pure concrete environments and how you know the human body against concrete at a high speed, it’s just a disaster. [19]

What Needs to Change

Policy and Enforcement

A July 2025 study by the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) highlights gaps in safety regulations, contributing to public confusion about where e-scooters and e-bikes are permitted. [20]

The study found that most people do not understand how to safely and properly use e-scooters and e-bikes.  Confusion about where these devices can be used often stems from differences in local laws and enforcement. [21]

Since laws vary by city and device type, it is important that riders read and understand their local rules before riding.  These inconsistencies make it harder to ensure safety and compliance across Ontario.

Prevention and Public Awareness

Hospitals see the consequences of unsafe riding, and prevention must start before injuries happen.

• Municipalities can:
  • Run targeted helmet and safe riding campaigns across cities.
  • Promote clear messaging about where e-scooters and e-bikes are legal, especially in Toronto, where sidewalk riding and public e-scooters remain banned.
  • Partner with schools and youth programs to teach safe riding habits early.
  • Hospitals can support these efforts by sharing anonymized data on e-scooter and e-bike injuries. This helps local governments track trends, plan safer infrastructure, and adjust regulations.  Clinicians and researchers at St. Michael’s are already studying rider behaviour and crash circumstances to reduce risk and improve patient recovery. [22]

Safety Tips for Riders

Even where e-scooters are legal:

• Always wear a certified helmet. Wearing a helmet can dramatically reduce the risk of head injuries during falls or collisions.  Make sure it fits properly and is securely fastened every time you ride.
• Stay off the sidewalks. Sidewalk riding puts pedestrians and riders at risk of serious injury.  Use designated bike lanes or streets where scooters are legally permitted.
• Avoid night riding and distractions. Poor visibility, glare, and inattentive riding increase the chance of crashes.  Limit night rides and never use your phone or headphones while operating a scooter.
• Slow down on uneven pavement or near intersections. Potholes, streetcar tracks, and cracks can easily cause falls, and intersections are high-risk zones for collisions.  Reducing speed gives you more reaction time to avoid collisions.
• Follow all traffic laws. Obey traffic signals, stop signs, and lane rules, as you would in a car.  Following the law keeps you safe and helps protect pedestrians and other road users.

E-scooters and e-bikes can be a convenient and affordable way to travel, but the sharp rise in serious injuries across Ontario shows just how dangerous they can be when safety rules are ignored.  Hospitals are reporting more riders suffering from broken bones, head injuries, and lasting trauma often linked to high speeds, lack of helmets, and sidewalk use.  Toronto’s continued ban reflects these real and growing safety concerns.  As cities work to improve infrastructure and clarify the rules, every rider has a role in preventing injuries.  Understanding where you can legally ride, following traffic laws, and always wearing a helmet can make the difference between a safe ride and a devastating injury.

SOURCES:

[1] Canadian Health Information Podcast, “Deadly Impact: The Rise of E-Scooter Injuries” (22 July 2025), online: https://www.cihi.ca/en/podcast/deadly-impact-the-rise-of-e-scooter-injuries

[2] Government of Ontario, “Riding an e-bike” (last modified 19 July 2024), online: https://www.ontario.ca/page/riding-e-bike

[3] Lois Lee, Unity Health Toronto, “E-bike and e-scooter injuries are on the rise.  St. Michael’s clinicians and researchers leading new study to improve care and road safety” (1 October 2025), online: https://unityhealth.to/2025/10/e-bike-and-e-scooter-road-safety/

[4] SickKids, “SickKids seeing growing number of injuries from e-scooters and e-bicycles” (9 August 2024), online: https://www.sickkids.ca/en/news/archive/2024/sickkids-seeing-growing-number-of-injuries-from-e-scooters-and-e-bicycles/

[5] Ibid.

[6] City of Toronto, “Electric Scooters & Electric Bicycles” online: https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/streets-parking-transportation/cycling-in-toronto/cycling-and-the-law/electric-bicycles-e-bikes-e-scooters/

[7] Supra note 4. https://www.sickkids.ca/en/news/archive/2024/sickkids-seeing-growing-number-of-injuries-from-e-scooters-and-e-bicycles/

[8] Katie Dangerfield, Global News, “As e-scooter use grows, ER doctors say they’re seeing ‘devastating’ injuries” (24 July 2024) online: https://globalnews.ca/news/10638421/e-scooter-injuries-canada-how-to-stay-safe/

[9] Supra note 1.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Ibid.

[13] Ibid.

[14] Craig Lyon, Robyn D. Robertson, & Steve Brown, “Micromobility in Canada Risks, Regulations, Knowledge Gaps & Opportunities” (July 2025) online: https://atlantic.caa.ca/sites/default/files/2025-07/caa-micromobility-in-canada-12d.pdf

[15] Supra note 1.

[16] Ibid.

[17] Canadian Paediatric Society, “E-Scooter and E-Bike Warning” (15 August 2024) online: https://cps.ca/en/blog-blogue/e-scooter-and-e-bike-warning

[18] Supra note 8.

[19] Ibid.

[20] Supra note 14.

[21] Ibid.

[22] Supra note 3.