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New data is highlighting the serious risks e-scooters and e-bikes can pose to children, with 10 young people dying in Canada in 2025 following incidents involving the devices.
The Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program says six of those deaths occurred in Ontario. Another 12 young people were admitted to intensive care, while 26 spent more than two days in hospital, bringing the total number of severe cases involving prolonged hospital stays, ICU admissions or deaths to 57.
The findings were included in the program’s annual report, which was jointly released by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society. Nearly 80 per cent of reported cases involved children under the age of 16, while almost half involved head injuries.
Doctors say they have seen a dramatic increase in injuries involving e-scooters and similar devices in recent years. At Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, one doctor said e-scooter-related emergency visits climbed from a single patient in 2020 to 107 in 2025.
The report is calling attention to the need for clearer regulations, better enforcement and more public education as the popularity of the devices continues to grow.
