‘Not surprised’: Data shows e-scooter injuries up 22% in Alberta

New data shows about 1,000 Canadians end up in hospital each year with e-scooter-related injuries. One e-scooter company says that's misleading.

It’s hard to escape the sight of an e-scooter, especially in popular zones like downtown, Whyte Avenue and around the Walterdale Bridge.

As the popularity of these convenient rides continues to rise – so are the number of injuries.

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Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) shows hospitalizations related to e-scooter injuries have gone up 22 per cent in Alberta from 2022-23 to 2023-24.

Louis Hugo Francescutti, a professor in the school of public health at the University of Alberta, said he isn’t surprised by the uptick.

“You can’t put something that moves fast on the street, make it accessible with a credit card – no need for helmets – and your target audience is primarily young males who, most of the time, are intoxicated,” Francescutti told CTV News Edmonton. “I’m not surprised.”

He believes the numbers actually under-represent the injuries that are occurring because of those who get injured but don’t go to the hospital.

“What’s really sad is it’s continuing and not much is changing in terms of rules and regulations,” Francescutti went on.

“These are totally predictable and preventable injuries, yet we continue to waste so much of our health-care resources dealing with them, when really, we shouldn’t have to.”

But Patrick Graham, general manager of shared e-scooter company BIRD Canada, said the number of incidents is actually dropping.

“The number of people using e-scooters is accelerating way faster than the number of incidents,” said Graham, adding that their own data shows the safety rate has been improving year over year since launching in 2017.

“The CIHI data, while concerning, is misleading,” said Graham. “E-scooters are not getting more dangerous over time, people are just using them more often, so the gross number of incidents is obviously going to go up.”

He says the city allows shared e-scooters to go up to 20 kilometres per hour while personal e-scooters can sometimes go up to 50 kilometres an hour.

“Sometimes there are significantly safer measures in the shared mobility space versus personal devices that are less regulated.”

But Francescutti is skeptical, saying he expects next year’s CIHI data to get worse before it gets better.

Jenny Albers, acting director of traffic operations for parks and road services with the City of Edmonton, said it is “actively working with vendors to encourage safe behaviours” on shared e-scooters.

While there is no curfew for e-scooters, Albers said vendors require riders to complete an impairment test between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. In-app education is also provided by e-scooter vendors.

The city can fine users between $100 and $250 for non-compliance related to the misuse of e-scooters, said Albers, adding that laws concerning the operation of an e-scooter while intoxicated are under Edmonton police jurisdiction.

Under the Alberta Traffic Safety Act, helmets are not required for e-scooters but are for those riding e-bikes. Riders must be 18 years or older to use shared e-scooters or e-bikes.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Amanda Anderson.