Ottawa families are being urged to think twice before letting their kids hop on an e-scooter, as CHEO reports a steep jump in emergency department visits linked to e-scooter injuries — and Ottawa police are now stepping up enforcement in response.
A troubling trend in the ER
Doctors at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario say the number of young patients coming through the ER doors with e-scooter-related injuries has roughly tripled compared to previous years. The injuries range from broken bones and concussions to more serious trauma, with medical staff pointing to a mix of speed, lack of protective gear, and unsafe riding habits as major contributing factors.
E-scooters have exploded in popularity across Ottawa in recent years, both as personal devices and through shared rental programs that dot the downtown core, the Byward Market, and university areas near Carleton and uOttawa. That popularity, though, has come with a cost — and CHEO's emergency physicians say they're increasingly treating kids and teens for injuries that could have been prevented with basic safety precautions like helmets.
Ottawa police respond with a crackdown
In light of the rising injury numbers, Ottawa police have launched a targeted crackdown on e-scooter misuse across the city. Officers are focusing on common violations such as riding on sidewalks, carrying passengers, riding without lights at night, and operating scooters while impaired — all issues that have been flagged as recurring contributors to crashes.
The timing lines up with warmer months, when e-scooter use tends to spike across Ottawa's bike lanes, multi-use pathways, and downtown streets. Police say the goal isn't just ticketing riders, but changing behaviour before more serious injuries land kids in the CHEO ER.
Why this matters for Ottawa families
For parents across the city, the numbers coming out of CHEO are a wake-up call. E-scooters are marketed as a fun, convenient way to get around, but the hospital's data suggests that convenience is coming with real risk, particularly for younger riders who may not fully grasp the dangers of high speeds, uneven pavement, or sharing the road with cars.
Ottawa's shared e-scooter season typically means more of these devices are visible on downtown streets and pathways, making the timing of both CHEO's warning and the police crackdown especially relevant for local families navigating the city this summer.
CHEO is encouraging parents to talk to their kids about scooter safety — wearing a helmet, avoiding busy roads, and never riding double — while Ottawa police continue their enforcement push in high-traffic areas around the city.
Source: CBC Ottawa
