Updated Content As a parent of three kids in school, my ears always perk up when local health reports touch on the safety and well-being of children in our region.

A recent warning from the Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) highlights a sharp rise in e-scooter-related injuries. According to its data, the hospital treated 58 children for e-scooter injuries between April and June this year, compared with 22 during the same period last year—a 164 percent surge.

Emergency physicians noted that many incidents involved young riders, lack of helmets, or quick neighbourhood trips where people let their guard down. Medical professionals are stressing an essential reminder: e-scooters are motorized vehicles that can cause severe trauma, not harmless toys.

The Current Reality: A Ban by Default

Under Ontario’s regulatory framework (O. Reg. 389/19), e-scooters can only operate legally on municipal roads if a local council opts into the provincial pilot. Because Strathroy-Caradoc has not opted in, we currently have an outright ban. Riding an e-scooter on any municipal road, sidewalk, or public trail in our community is technically illegal and subject to fines.

However, an outright ban—especially one by passive inaction—is the wrong answer for our community.

Why Blanket Bans Don’t Work

Simply making e-scooters illegal ignores why people use them. Micromobility is one of the most accessible, low-cost modes of transportation available. For residents who cannot afford a vehicle, face rising gas and insurance costs, or need to get to work at hours when local transit isn't available, an e-scooter is a practical lifeline.

When a municipality relies on a default ban rather than clear regulation, two things happen: people keep buying and riding them anyway, but without safety standards, proper infrastructure, or public education.

The Solution: Regulate Responsibly with Stricter Rules

Instead of turning a blind eye to an unenforceable ban, Strathroy-Caradoc should actively opt into the provincial pilot, but establish local rules that go above and beyond the minimum provincial standards to protect riders and pedestrians:

• Raise the Age Limit to 18+: The provincial pilot permits riders as young as 16, but LHSC’s injury data clearly shows that pediatric and adolescent riders face the highest risk of severe collisions. Restricting use to adults 18 and older treats these devices like the motorized commuter vehicles they are and keeps young teens off them.
• Mandatory Helmets for Everyone: While the provincial framework only requires helmets for those under 18, Strathroy-Caradoc should make helmet use mandatory for all riders, without exception. Head trauma doesn't stop being dangerous once someone turns 18.
• Keep Sidewalks for Pedestrians: Prohibit e-scooters from sidewalks completely to protect seniors, children walking to school, and people with mobility aids.
• Connect with Infrastructure: As our community builds out complete street designs—such as upcoming work on Head Street North and Thorne Drive we should ensure our bike and multi-use lanes safely accommodate adult micromobility users off the main roadway.

We don’t need to shut down an affordable, clean mode of transportation to keep our community safe. Council can take the lead by establishing a clear, proactive by-law that protects youth, requires universal helmet safety, and preserves accessible transit for adults who need it.

Let’s keep having these conversations at home with our kids, set clear boundaries about these devices, and advocate for practical local policies that keep all our neighbourhoods safe.