Burnaby RCMP said officers will step up enforcement and educate residents about riding and operating e-scooters so people know the rules and how to ride safely.
This follows an incident on May 2, when an 11-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl were riding e-scooters and collided with a vehicle on Hastings Street near Delta Avenue.
Both children were rushed to the hospital with what were described as serious and critical injuries.
RCMP said officers will be on the lookout for violations, including underage riders, riding in prohibited areas and not wearing a helmet, among other issues.
“We know micro-mobility vehicles have become increasingly popular; however, we want to make sure people are riding according to the rules, for their safety and the safety of those around them,” Sgt. Gary Johal with Burnaby RCMP Traffic Services said in a statement.
“We want to especially encourage parents to familiarize themselves with the rules regarding e-scooters and e-bikes, discuss them with their children, and never allow their children to ride illegally.”
Riders must be at least 16 years old to ride an e-scooter.
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In late May, the City of Burnaby restricted e-scooter use on major roads.
According to the city, e-scooter riders are not allowed to:
- Ride on sidewalks or crosswalks (unless signage permits)
- Ride on roads with speed limits above 50 km/h unless in a designated cycling lane
- Ride on arterial roads (e.g. Kingsway, Canada Way, Hastings Street) unless there are designated cycling/multi-use paths
- Ride impaired (alcohol or drugs)
- Use mobile phones or earbuds while riding
- Carry items that affect balance or grip
- Ignore visibility requirements—lights and reflectors are mandatory
- Exceed the device’s max speed (25 km/h)
- Carry a passenger
- Ride in parks or on park trails (unless signage permits)
Last week, a report released by the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program (CPSP), showed data from a survey of pediatricians in 2025. It showed 48 cases of serious injuries or deaths reported. These included 26 cases of hospitalizations lasting more than two days and 12 ICU admissions. There were nine other cases that the report said could not be classified.
But Dr. Daniel Rosenfield said the data showed 10 deaths from personal powered micromobility devices (PPMD) incidents, which he said is some of the first data of youth fatalities aside from media and police reports.
“People don’t associate these devices with fatalities, right,” Rosenfield said in an interview. “As the usage of these devices goes up, which we can tell by the number of kids coming in with minor or moderate injuries, then the number of fatalities will also go up.”
-with files from Sean Previl
All cities should enforce rules all times
I see about 5 of these on the road while I’m driving to Bridge Studios from the River District every morning. Doesn’t seem like there’s much enforcement happening at all