E-scooter hospitalizations jump 40% nationwide, Alberta among hardest hit
New national health data shows a sharp rise in e-scooter injuries requiring hospital stays, with children's cases nearly tripling year over year.
Why it matters
The rising injury toll, especially among children, highlights gaps in e-scooter safety rules and enforcement that could affect Alberta families and municipalities.
The Canadian Institute for Health Information reported that hospitalizations from e-scooter accidents rose almost 40 per cent across Canada, climbing to 837 cases between April 2025 and March 2026, up from 601 the year before. Fractures and head or brain injuries were among the most common reasons riders ended up in hospital.
Children and teens were disproportionately affected. The data showed 150 people aged 15 and under were hospitalized for e-scooter injuries, nearly triple the 54 cases recorded the previous year. Alberta was named among the provinces with the highest number of injuries, alongside Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec, reflecting the country's most densely populated regions.
The figures follow a recent report from the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program, which found 10 children died from e-scooter or e-bike incidents in 2025. That report noted most provinces set a minimum riding age of 16, but the rule is often ignored, and bylaws governing where the devices can be used vary widely between jurisdictions.
Health officials are calling for better coordination of policies and clearer public education to inform riders of the rules in their area.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.