Regulations, Enforcement & Increasing Head Injuries related to E-Bikes & E-Scooters

Personal electric vehicles like e-scooters & e-bikes are becoming increasingly popular, but the rules around using them haven’t caught up to their popularity.  It’s a bit of the wild west in Winnipeg when it comes to rules & enforcement.

• E-scooters & e-bikes are not yet specifically regulated in Manitoba’s Highway Traffic Act. This can make figuring out how to use them safely &  travel safely alongside them a bit tricky.
• The City of Winnipeg currently can’t set any rules or enforce around e-scooters & e-bikes – we are waiting for the Province to update the Highway Traffic Act.

REGULATIONS:
The Province of Manitoba’s Bill 43 (The Highway Traffic Amendment and Drivers and Vehicles Amendment) will set out rules / details around speed limits, minimum operator ages, and what type of roads or pathways e-scooters and other devices could operate on.

The City of Winnipeg can’t set any rules around e-scooters / e-bikes  on our roads until they are Provincially recognized and regulated. We anticipate this will take 3+ months.

• If and when Bill 43 receives Royal Assent in the legislature, the City will then align policies around e-scooter / e-bike use.
• City of Winnipeg Police will enforce the rules.

DRAMATIC INCREASE IN HEAD INJURIES

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) states that nearly 1,000 people were hospitalized for scooter-related injuries during the 12-month period starting April 1, 2023. That’s up from 810 during the same period of 2022-23. See CBC Injuries on the Rise

Half of the injuries – 498 – were related to motorized e-scooters, an increase of 32 per cent over the 375 hospitalizations recorded in 2022-23.

Emergency physicians say the extent of injuries can be severe: brain, facial and dental trauma, fractures needing multiple surgeries, or traumatic brain injuries that require intensive care.  Some injuries happen when the rider is hit by a car, but physicians are also treating pedestrians who have been hit by a rider. ( A good friend of mine was hit by a scooter that cracked her knee cap this spring)

Many youth are riding e-scooters without helmets. I see this on Pembina and on many of the great trails we have in Waverley West. This is extremely dangerous and anyone who rides an -e-scooter or e-bike should be wearing a helmet. We know how busy the Emergency Rooms are, let’s not add to the work loads of Dr.’s and nurses!

In summary, we want Winnipeggers to be safe and share the road while riding an e-bike or e-scooter:

• Watch for pedestrians and cyclists on pathways and slow down while passing
• Ride defensively and respectfully
• Ensure you wear a helmet and other protective clothing

If you encounter an e-device in your travels, please pay its driver the same courtesy:

• Pause walking to share a path if needed
• Drive defensively and respectfully when passing e-devices on the roadway
• Be generally aware of this newer transportation mode while out and about

We all have a role to play in helping keep others safe while moving through Winnipeg.