Calgary e-scooter injuries have experts preaching rider caution

Injury prevention experts are urging Calgarians to ride carefully as e-scooter crashes land hundreds of people in the hospital. 

A total of 295 Calgary riders needed medical attention after a scooter injury in the first six months of 2024.

It brings the total number of Calgary emergency department and urgent care visits related to scooter injuries since 2022 up to 2,235, according to data from Alberta Health Services (AHS).

Of those, 381 injuries were from children and teens. 

"I don't think that people take the time they need to become familiar with these machines, and know what they can and cannot do," Kathy Belton said.

"They are a relatively new device, only introduced in 2017."

Belton has been looking at the impact of e-scooters on the province's riders and pedestrians through the University of Alberta's Injury Prevention Centre.

She says some of the figures worry her. 

"I think one of the issues that we have with the scooters is that these things were originally marketed to children," she told CTV News. "Because of that, there's a perception that they are not dangerous."

The scooter rental companies do say they're improving safety measures. 

The new Neuron N4 model, for example, comes with a phone holder, improved tires and a larger area to stand.

Neuron's Isaac Ransom says it'll help riders in more ways than one. 

"If you're going somewhere you shouldn't, you're told why and what's happening," he said. "So you're also not trying to figure it out, or stop and look at your phone, so you have both hands on the device, which makes for a much safer ride."

"You've also got the wide riding deck, which provides comfort and safety and is easy to maneuver throughout the city. There's the pneumatic tires and the shocks, and an available helmet."

The N4 also comes with turn signals, something Belton strongly recommends. 

"We need to teach riders the rules of the road, in terms of making sure that they're on a roadway or a pathway, that the e-scooters are allowed to be on, and make sure that they have appropriate bells or horns to warn people that they are behind them," she said.

"It's just the wild west out there in terms of rules right now."

Education is key, according to AHS. 

It has a number of recommendations for anyone planning to use an e-scooter:

Always wear a helmet;

Drive in control and practice your riding skills in a safe environment;

Use a bell, horn or your voice when approaching or passing others;

Single riders only;

Use standard cycling hand signals;

Do not use an e-scooter when under the influence of alcohol or other drugs; and

Check and follow all local e-scooter or micro-mobility guidelines.