The popularity of e-scooters is on the rise in Canada, but so are the number of injuries, especially among younger individuals, according to pediatricians, emergency physicians, and experts. Dr. Daniel Rosenfield, a pediatric emergency physician at SickKids hospital in Toronto, and head of the injury prevention committee for the Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS), highlighted a significant increase in e-scooter-related injuries, ranging from minor cuts to severe brain injuries and fatalities.
In the past, severe injuries from e-scooter accidents were rare occurrences, but now they are more frequent. Dr. Rosenfield mentioned that the number of e-scooter injury cases at SickKids had escalated from 26 in 2023 to 46 in 2024 and 107 in 2025, with the trend continuing this year.
At the Montreal Children’s Hospital, Dr. Laurie Plotnick noted a tenfold increase in e-scooter injuries since 2023, with cases involving children sustaining severe facial and brain injuries. These findings are consistent with a recent CPS survey conducted among Canadian pediatric specialists, which reported 10 deaths, 12 ICU admissions, and 26 hospitalizations lasting more than two days due to e-scooter accidents in the last year.
The study also highlighted that the most severe injuries typically affected boys aged 10 to 15, with head injuries being prevalent in about half of the cases. Moreover, a separate study published in the Emergency Medicine Journal revealed a similar rise in e-scooter-related cases in U.K. hospitals, emphasizing the severity of head injuries and the low helmet usage rate among those injured.
One poignant case from London, Ontario, involved a 12-year-old boy named Shawn Dunkley, who suffered a fractured skull and brain injuries after a high-speed e-scooter crash. Despite the grim prognosis, Shawn made a full recovery after receiving intensive care at the hospital and undergoing rehabilitation.
The CPS survey also highlighted the lack of clarity and consistency in regulations governing e-scooter use across different provinces and territories, contributing to the rising number of accidents. Dr. Rosenfield emphasized the need for public education, clearer regulations, and better enforcement to address the growing safety concerns associated with e-scooter use.
While advocating for the importance of e-scooters as a means of transportation, Dr. Rosenfield stressed the necessity of implementing measures to ensure their safe usage in urban environments. The call for improved safety measures, increased awareness, and stricter enforcement aims to mitigate the escalating risks associated with e-scooter use among children and teenagers.