HALIFAX – A local cyclist’s account of a dramatic accident is highlighting growing concerns over e-scooter safety across Canada, as pediatric experts warn the devices are motorized vehicles rather than toys.
Halifax cyclist Lindsay Wickstrom recalled witnessing a young person crash on a busy downtown street.
“He was driving, he hit the curb and he went down and boom, and he wasn’t moving,” Wickstrom said. She added that the accident served as a lesson and a reminder that young people should not be riding e-scooters on Halifax’s busy downtown streets.
“We have transport trucks and all this traffic, and this is not a safe place for young people to be e-scootering,” she said.
Dr. Daniel Rosenfield, who authored a recent Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program report, supported that view.
“We have said from the rooftops: no one under 16 should be on these devices,” Rosenfield said.
The report showed e-scooter and e-bike accidents in 2025 led to 10 deaths, 26 hospital admissions and 12 intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. Of the 48 cases, head injuries accounted for 47 per cent, while broken limbs made up 40 per cent.
E-scooters were the most-used device involved. Rosenfield said they have become more popular, accessible and affordable in recent years.
“These are not toys,” he said. “They are functional motor vehicles – without any of the safety features that cars or the motor vehicles have.”
Rosenfield added there are basic safety standards to consider when it comes to people of all ages, especially young people, operating an e-scooter.
“Always wear a helmet, watch your speed and always have one rider at a time,” Rosenfield said. “I cannot begin to tell you how many times we have seen kids with their friends or a younger sibling on the back of the e-scooter, and that is exceedingly dangerous.”
The sensitivity surrounding e-scooter safety and awareness has risen in recent weeks.
Former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s 18-year-old son Xavier posted an apology on social media, after riding an e-scooter without a helmet during a recent promotional campaign.
Age regulations for e-scooters currently remain a provincial patchwork. Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island and Ontario set the minimum age at 16. Quebec and Nova Scotia permit riders at 14.
Karl Nordin, a tourism operator on the Halifax waterfront, said he frequently sees young people riding without safety gear.
“I definitely do not agree with young people being able to use them,” Nordin said.
“I see very few riders with helmets on,” Nordin said. “They have their helmets attached to the e-scooter, but they are not wearing them.”
Rosenfield emphasized that teaching proper habits is crucial, because the majority of severe e-scooter injuries involve the head, which can lead to permanent disabilities.