As Quebec e-scooter pilot project nears end, Montreal hospital urges caution for kids, teens
Posted June 16, 2026 7:57 am.
The trauma centre at the Montreal Children’s Hospital (MCH) is sounding the alarm about children and teens seriously injured using electric scooters.
It comes as Quebec’s pilot project on e-scooters and other motorized personal mobility devices is set to end July 20.
Last year, the hospital’s trauma centre treated 80 children and teens for injuries like traumatic brain injuries, abdominal trauma, facial trauma, dental trauma, fractures, lacerations and sprains. This year, it has already treated some 30 patients.
In previous years, the hospital says nine per cent of cases were severe enough to require hospital admission and critical care management. This year, the hospital says it’s at 20 per cent.
“Thus far this year, close to 60 per cent of e-scooter-related injuries involve children under the age of 14, a rise from an already worrisome high proportion last year,” said Debbie Friedman, the trauma director at the MCH. “These injuries are often serious, life-altering and, in many cases, entirely preventable.
“Every injury statistic represents a child, a family and a community forever changed. What we are seeing at our trauma centre reflects a broader problem across Quebec.”
The MCH trauma centre is urging Quebec policymakers, parents and riders to be aware of the risks of e-scooters.
“Legislation is important, but it is not enough to prevent injuries,” said Liane Fransblow, trauma coordinator of the MCH injury prevention program. “Families, youth and communities all have a role to play. Wearing a properly fitted helmet, being aware of the risks, respecting the rules of the road, and understanding and following the regulations are essential.”
Quebec’s pilot project was launched July 20, 2023. The pilot aimed to test the use of e-scooters under certain conditions and on certain public roadways, including bike lanes, while also assessing their integration into road traffic.
